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JOHN    HENRY    HOBART 


< 


SAiMA  BAUUARA 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Foundation  of  Societies  in  England  in  the  Seventeenth  and  Eighteenth 
Centuries  —  Thomas  Bray  —  His  visit  to  America  —  Christian  Knowledge 
Society  Founded  —  S.  P.  G.  Founded  —  The  Moral  and  Spiritual  Condition 
of  the  People  in  England  and  New  York  —  Bradford  Prints  the  First 
Edition  of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  —  Failure  of  Wesley  and  Whitefield 
in  Georgia  —  Their  Return  to  England  —  Their  Success  and  the  Effects  of 
their  Preaching  —  Robert  Raikes  —  Society  for  the  Support  and  Encour- 
agement of  Sunday  Schools  Founded  —  Religious  Tract  Society  Founded  — 
Church  Missionary  Society  Founded  —  Dearth  of  Bibles  in  England  — 
Religious  Revival  in  Wales  —  S.  P.  C.  K.  Prints  Bibles  and  New  Testaments 
in  Welsh  —  Stock  soon  Exhausted  —  Edition  of  Ten  Thousand  Printed  — 
Even  this  Number  Inadequate  —  A  Welsh  Girl  Walks  Twenty- Five  Miles 
to  Secure  a  Copy  and  Is  Disappointed  —  Her  Disappointment  Induces  Rev. 
Thomas  Charles,  of  Bala,  to  Petition  the  S.  P.  C.  K.  to  Issue  Another 
Large  Edition  —  Inability  of  Society  to  Do  so  Leads  Mr.  Charles  and  Other 
Friends  of  the  Movement  to  Found  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  — 
First  Religious  Organization  in  England  in  which  all  Protestant  Christian* 
Had  Been  Enrolled  —  Its  Immediate  Success  —  Branch  Societies  Organized 
—  Its  Constitution  Opposed  by  Dr.  Marsh  and  Others  —  Letter  from  the 
Bishop  of  London  Criticising  the  Formation  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society  —  Reply  from  Joseph  Lancaster  —  Spread  of  the  Controversy  — 
Opponents  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  Plead  that  Churchmen 
Should  not  Join  with  Non-Conformists  in  a  Religious  Society  —  Survey 
of  the  Work  of  the  Church  in  New  York  at  the  Opening  of  the  Nineteenth 
Century  —  Formation  of  The  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  of 
New  York  —  And  of  the  Bible  Society  in  Philadelphia — First  Meeting  of 
the  B.  &  C.  P.  B.  Society  for  Organizations  Held  in  i8og  —  Election  of  Board 
of  Managers  —  The  First  Regular  Meeting  of  the  Board  Held  in  Trini^ 
Church,  April  14,  1809  —  Minutes  of  this  Meeting  —  The  First  Address i 

iii. 


iv.  Contents. 

CHAPTER  II. 

The  Intellectual  Activity  of  the  Eighteenth  Century  —  A  Century  Re- 
markable for  the  Great  Foundations  it  Laid  —  Danger  of  French  and 
German  Rationalism  —  Necessity  of  Grounding  the  Children  of  the  Church 
in  Her  Distinctive  Principles  —  Controversy  over  the  Foundation  of  the 
Bible  Society  Arouses  the  S.  P.  G.  and  S.  P.  C.  K.  to  more  Vigorous 
Action  —  Foundation  of  the  National  Society  for  Promoting  the  Education 
of  the  Poor  in  the  Principles  of  the  Established  Church  Throughout  England 
and  Wales  —  Effect  of  English  Religious  Activity  Immediately  Felt  in 
America  —  Foundation  of  the  Society  for  the  Promotion  of  Religion  and 
Learning — Liberality  of  Corporation  of  Trinity  Church  —  The  Society 
Prints  Nelson's  Fasts  and  Festivals  and  D'Aubeny's  Guide  to  the  Church  — 
Circulates  Tracts  on  the  Prayer-Book  —  Foundation  in  Connecticut  of 
Society  for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge  and  Learning — Organized  at 
New  Haven,  October,  1808  —  First  Society  in  America  for  Free  Distribution 
of  the  Prayer-Book  —  Letters  from  John  H.  Jacocks  to  Bishop  Hobart  — 
Constitution  and  Bye  Laws  of  the  Bible  Society  Established  at  Philadelphia 

—  First  Board  of  Managers  —  First  Address  —  Its  Success  —  Donation  to 
It  from  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  —  Meeting  of  Board  of 
Managers  of  the  B.  &  C.  P.  B.  Society  in  New  York,  May  31,  1809  —  Issues 

An  Appeal  —  Meeting  of  February  14,  1810  —  Sermon  by  Bishop  Moore 25 

CHAPTER  III. 

Dearth  of  Small  Prayer-Books  For  Distribution  —  Books  of  i2mo  and 
a4mo  Printed  in  1810  —  Letter  from  Father  Nash  to  Bishop  Hobart  — 
Annual  Meeting  of  B.  and  C.  P.  B.  Society  in  New  York,  February  28, 181 1  — 
Report  of  Board  of  Managers  —  Rules  Regulating  Proportion  of  Bibles  and 
Prayer-Books  Passed  —  Meeting  of  February  25,  1812  —  Report  of  Managers 

—  French  Edition  of  the  Bible  Recommended  —  Repeal  of  Bye-Laws  — 
Letter  from  the  President  of  the  New  Jersey  Bible  Society  —  Multiplication 
of  Bible  Societies  in  Cities  and  Villages  —  Letter  from  Father  Nash  to 
Bishop  Hobart  —  Pastoral  by  Bishop  Hobart  on  the  Need  of  Teaching  the 
Distinctive  Doctrines  of  the  Church  —  Insists  on  the  Value  of  Distributing 
the  Prayer-Book  with  the  Bible  —  Pastoral  Arouses  Criticism  in  Many 
Quarters  —  Reply  to  Pastoral  by  "A  Layman"  —  Another  Reply  by  "An 
Episcopalian"  —  Letters  to  Bishop  Hobart  from  Judge  Emott  and  the  Rev. 
John  McVickar  —  Organization  of  the  General  Bible  and  Common  Prayer 
Book  Society  of  Albany  and  Vicinity —  Letter  from  the  Rev.  T.  Clowes 43 

CHAPTER  IV. 

The  Rev.  Barzillai  Bulkley  and  the  Flushing  Bible  Society  —  His  Letter  to 
Bishop  Hobart  —  Effect  of  the  Bishop's  Pastoral  —  Formation  of  the  Auxili- 
ary New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  —  Its  Constitution  — 
Aimual  "Meeting  of  the  Parent  Society,  1816  —  Election  of  Officers  —  Meeting 
of  the  Auxiliary  in  Trinity  Church  —  Address  by  Bishop  Hobart  —  Purchase 
of  French  Bibles  —  Co-operation  of  the  Two  New   York  Prayer  Book  So- 


Contents.  v. 

cieties  —  Stereotype  Plates  for  Prayer  Book  Proposed  —  Their  Manufacture 

—  Discussions  as  to  Advisability  of  a  General  Bible  Society  —  Memoir  on 
the  Subject  by  William  Jay  — Meeting  of  Delegates  in  New  York  — General 
Bible  Society  Formed  —  Officers  Elected  —  Constitution  Adopted  —  Address 
to  the  Public  — Address  by  Bishop  Hobart  — His  Opposition  to  Church- 
men Joining  the  Bible  Society  —  William  Jay's  Reply  to  the  Bishop's  Ad- 
dress —  His  Appeal  to  Christians  on  Behalf  of  the  American  Bible  Society 

—  Effect  on  Churchmen  of  Bishop  Hobart's  Address  —  Letters  from  the 
Rev.  Dr.  James  Abercrombie  and  "J-  B.  W." 73 

CHAPTER  V. 

Address  by  the  Rev.  L.  Bayard  —  William  Jay's  "Dialogue  betvireen  a 
Clergyman  and  a  Layman"  —  "Some  Questions  and  Answers"  —  Annual 
Meeting  of  the  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  1817  — 
Reports  from  Various  Bible  and  Prayer  Book  Societies  —  Seventh  Annual 
Report  —  First  Report  of  the  Auxiliary  Society  —  Anniversary  Service  of 
the  Auxiliary  in  St.  Paul's  Chapel  —  Address  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  How  — 
Sunday  Schools  in  New  York  and  in  Trinity  Parish  —  Annual  Meeting 
of  the  N.  Y.  B.  &  C.  P.  B.  Society,  February,  1817  —  Alterations  in  the 
Constitution  —  Agreement  Proposed  with  the  Auxiliary  as  to  Stereotype 
Plates  —  Letter  from  the  Rev.  Stephen  Jewett  —  Organization  of  the  Wash- 
ington and  Essex  Counties  Bible  and  Prayer  Book  Society  —  Also  the 
Dutchess  County  Auxiliary  Society  —  Annual  Meeting,  March,  1818  — 
Eighth  Annual  Report  —  Extra  Meeting  Called  to  Fill  the  Place  of  the  Rev, 
Dr.  How  —  Sermon  by  Mr.  Lyell  —  Intimate  Relations  of  the  New  York 
Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  and  the  New  York  Auxiliary  — 
Second  Annual  Report  of  the  Auxiliary  Society  —  Second  Anniversary 
Meeting  of  the  Auxiliary,  January  26,  1818  —  Election  of  Managers  and 
Officers  —  Address  by  the  Rev.  John  McVickar 103 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Auxiliary  Societies  Continuing  to  be  Formed  Under  Bishop  Hobarfs 
Influence  —  Other  Diocesan  Societies  Also  Formed  —  First  Annual  Report 
of  the  Common  Prayer-Book  Society  of  Pennsylvania  —  Meeting  of  the 
N.  Y.  B.  &  C.  P.  B.  Societ}',  February  24,  1819  —  Ninth  Annual 
Report  —  Third  Report  of  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Society  —  Appointment 
of  an  "Agent"  by  the  N.  Y.  Society  —  Mr.  Henry  McFarlan  Elected  — 
Annual  Meeting  of  the  Society  in  Trinity  Church,  24  February,  1820  — 
Tenth  Annual  Report  —  Fourth  Report  of  the  Auxiliary  Society  —  The  Li- 
berian  Colony  —  Letters  from  the  Rev.  Samuel  Bacon  to  Bishop  Hobart  — 
The  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  of  the  Western  District  — 
Annual  Report  of  the  N.  Y.  Auxiliary  for  1821  —  Meeting  of  the  N.  Y.  B. 
&  C.  P.  B.  Society,  1821,  February  27th  —  Eleventh  Annual  Report  —  Estab- 
lishment of  the  General  Theological  Seminary  in  New  York  and  Perfected 
Organization  of  the  Domestic  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society  —  Sixth 
Annual  Report  of  the  Auxiliary  Society  —  Twelfth  Annual  Report  of  the 
N.  Y.  B.  &  C.  P.  B.   Society 140 


vi.  Contents. 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Progress  of  the  Auxiliary  Societies  —  Anniversary  of  the  Society  of 
Auburn,  September,  1822  —  Diocesan  Convention  Held  at  Troy,  October, 
1822  —  Address  of  Bishop  Hobart  Incorporating  an  Address  from  Bishop 
White— Names  of  English,  Scottish  and  Irish  Bishops  Who  Favoured  or 
Opposed  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  —  Criticism  of  Dr.  H.  H. 
Norris  by  Dr.  Milnor  — Reply  by  Bishop  Hobart  —  Opposition  to  the  Aux- 
iliary Society  —  Seventh  Annual  Report  of  the  N.  Y.  Auxilary  —  Address  by 
the  Rev.  George  Upfold  —  Thirteenth  Annual  Report  of  the  N.  Y.  B.  &  C.  P. 
B.   Society    i75 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Bishop  Hobart's  Address  to  Diocesan  Convention  of  1822  —  Criticisms 
It  — Attack  by  William  Jay  — Jay's  Interest  in  Bible  Societies  —  His  Letter 
signed  "A  Churchman  of  the  Diocess  of  New- York"  —  Extracts  from  It  — 
Bishop  Hobart  Replies  under  the  Signature,  "Corrector"  —  Correspondence 
Between  the  New  York  Auxiliary  Society  and  Dr.  Milnor  —  Bishop  Hobart 
Exposes  the  Fallacies  —  Misrepresentations  —  Rhapsody  and  Ostentation  — 
The  Want  of  Delicacy  —  The  Ungentlemanly  and  Unchristian  Language  — 
Of  Jay's  Letter 198 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Second  Letter  from  Judge  Jay  —  Illness  of  Bishop  Hobart  and  His  Trip  to 
Canada  —  Reply  of  "Corrector"  —  Answer  from  Judge  Jay  —  Bishop  Ho- 
bart's Reply  in  a  "Note" 250 

CHAPTER  X. 

Ill  health  of  Bishop  Hobart  —  His  Departure  for  Eur'^oe  —  Address  from 
the  N.  Y.  Auxiliary  Society  on  this  Occasion  —  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Bible 
and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  of  the  Central  Part  of  the  State,  Septem- 
ber 24,  1823  —  Sermon  by  the  Rev.  Lucius  Smith  —  Report  of  the  Eighth 
Annual  Meeting  of  the  New  York  Auxiliary  Society,  January  26,  1824  — 
Prosperity  of  the  Society  —  Address  by  the  Rev.  Cornelius  R.  Duffie  — 
Fourteenth  Annual  Report  of  the  N.  Y.  B.  &  C.  P.  B.  Society  —  Report  of  the 
September  22,  1824  —  Letter  from  the  Rev.  H.  Anthon  to  Bishop  Hobart  — 
Address  to  Episcopalians  in  the  U.  S.  from  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the 
N.  Y.  Auxiliary  Society,  November,  1824  —  Ninth  Annual  Meeting  of  the 
N.  Y.  Auxiliary  Society  —  Its  Report  —  Fifteenth  Annual  Report  of  the 
N.  Y.  B.  &  C.  P.  B.  Society,  1825  —  Sixteenth  Annual  Meeting  and  Report, 
1826  —  Eleventh  Annual  Meeting  and  Report  of  the  Auxiliary  Society,  1826  — 
Distribution  of  the  Prayer  Book  in  the  Navy  —  First  Arrangement  for  Public 
Worship  on  a  Man  of  War  Made  —  Services  Held  on  the  "Ontario"  —  On 
the  "Cyane"  —  The  "Erie"  and  The  "Constitution"  —  Correction  of  Plates 
to  Bring  the  Bible  and  Prayer  Book  up  to  the  Standard  Versions  —  Death 
of  Mr.  Gulian  Ludlow 287 


Contents.  vii. 

CHAPTER  XL 

Union  between  the  N.  Y.  B.  &  C.  P.  B.  Society  and  the  Auxiliary 
Recommended  —  Seventeenth  Annual  Report  of  the  N.  Y.  B.  &  C.  P.  B. 
Society,  February,  1827  —  Twelfth  Annual  Report  of  the  Auxiliary  Society, 
April  1827  —  Minute  on  the  Death  of  Mr.  Cornelius  R.  Duffie  —  Report  of 
Mr.  Cave  Jones  on  the  Work  in  the  Navy  —  Annual  Meeting  and  Report  of 
the  Auxiliary  Society,  1828  — And  of  the  N.  Y,  B.  &  C.  P.  B.  Society  — 
Inauguration  by  Bishop  Hobart  of  the  Meeting  of  all  Church  Societies  on 
the  First  Evening  of  the  Diocesan  Convention  —  Success  of  the  Plan  — 
Joint  Meeting,  Held  October  16,  1828,  of  the  Auxiliary  Society,  the  Missionary 
Society,  the  Tract  Society  —  Establishment  of  a  New  York  Protestant 
Episcopal  Press  Advocated  —  Its  Report  —  Increasing  Prosperity  of  the 
Auxiliary  Society  —  Its  Fourteenth  Annual  Meeting,  October  i,  1829  — 
Annual  Report  —  Distribution  of  Prayer  Books  Among  the  U.  S.  Navy  — 
Donation  of  Prayer  Books  to  the  Domestic  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society  — 
Resignation  of  Mr.  Thomas  N.  Stanford  as  Agent  —  Success  of  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Press  —  Its  Zealous  Management  —  Its  First  Annual  Report  — 
Meetings  of  the  N.  Y.  B.  &  C.  P.  B.  Society,  1829  and  1830  —  Measures  for 
Union  of  the  Two  Societies  under  Discussion  —  Letter  to  the  Christian 
Journal  from  I.  L.  E.  on  the  Bible  Society  Cause  —  Fifteenth  Meeting  and 
Report  of  the  Auxiliary  Society,  October  7,  1830  —  Arrangements  with  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Press  —  The  Death  of  Bishop  Hobart 328 

CHAPTER   Xn. 

Mourning  over  Bishop  Hobart's  Death  —  Resolutions  by  the  New  York 
Church  Societies —  Meeting  of  the  N.  Y.  B.  &  C.  P.  B.  Society,  May  11,  1832  — 
Committee  Appointed  to  Consider  the  Advisability  of  Amalgamating  the  Society 
with  the  Auxiliary  Society,  The  Tract  Society,  and  the  Press  —  Extended 
Growth  of  the  Auxiliary  —  Its  Sixteenth  Annual  Report  —  Its  Greater  Vigour 
than  the  Parent  Society  —  Anniversaries  of  1832  —  Report  of  the  Auxiliary  — 
New  Edition  of  the  Bible  Projected  —  Report  of  Chaplain  to  Congress  on 
the  First  American  Bible  in  1782  —  Resolution  of  the  U.  S.  Congress  — 
Liberal  Response  to  Appeal  for  New  Edition  of  the  Bible  — Proof  Sheets 
Read  by  Mr.  Van  Ingen  and  Rev.  William  R.  Whittingham  —  Annual  Meet- 
ing of  1833  —  Eighteenth  Annual  Report  —  Appearance  of  the  New  Edition 
of  the  Bible  in  1834  — Based  on  the  Folio  of  1616  — Address  by  Dr. 
Schroeder    37J 

CHAPTER    XHL 

Joint  Anniversary  Meeting  of  the  Societies  at  Utica  in  1859  —  Twen- 
tieth Annual  Report  of  the  Auxiliary  Society  —  Formation  of  a  Bible 
and  Prayer  Book  Society  at  Wilmington,  N.  C,  —  Donation  of  Books  by 
the  New  York  Auxiliary  to  the  Wilmington  Society  —  Constant  Testimony 
Borne  to  the  Missionary  Influence  of  the  Prayer  Book  —  Results  in   Wil- 


viii.  Contents. 

mington  —  Society  Formed  at  Providence,  R.  I.  —  The  Last  Report  of  the 
Auxiliary  Probably  Issued  —  Apathy  of  Churchmen  in  General  to  the  Two 
N.  Y.  Societies  Beginning  to  be  Felt  —  Society  Compelled  to  Refuse  a  Grant  of 
Books  to  the  Newly  Organized  Chapel  in  Paris  —  Propositions  from  the  Tract 
Society  Declined' — Charter  of  N.  Y.  Auxiliary  Society  Expires  March  28,  1837 — 
EflFects  of  the  Auxiliary  Society  —  Transferred  to  the  Parent  Society,  July 
I,  1837  —  Conferences  Held  on  the  Matter  of  the  New  Society  to  Supersede 
the  Two  Former  Ones  —  Constitution  of  the  New  York  Bible  and  Common 
Prayer  Book  Society  Adopted,  April  19,  1837  —  Arrangements  Made  with 
the  Tract  Society — Committee  Appointed  on  an  Edition  of  the  Prayer 
Book  with  its  Rubrics  in  Red  —  Form  of  Service  Set  Forth  by  Bishop 
Onderdonk  for  the  Meetings  of  the  Society  —  First  Anniversary  of  the 
New  Society  Held  October  5,  1837  —  Its  Report  —  New  Edition  of  5,000 
Prayer  Books  —  Pamphlet  Edition  of  the  Prayer  Book  in  German  Issued 409 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Second  Annual  Report,  October,  1838  —  Grant  to  the  New  Diocese  of  Western 
New  York  —  To  the  U.  S.  Frigate  "Brandywine"  —  Thirtieth  Annual  Report, 
October,  1839  —  Anniversary  Meetings,  October  3,  1839  —  Election  of  W. 
H.  Bell  as  Secretary  —  Death  of  Jacob  Schatzel  —  His  Legacy  to  the  So- 
ciety and  Action  of  His  Widow  —  Address  of  Bishop  Onderdonk  —  Cessation 
of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Press  —  Anniversary  Meeting,  September  30, 
1840  —  Act  of  Incorporation  Desired  —  Propriety  of  Distributing  the  New 
Testament  Apart  from  the  Old  Testament  Considered  and  Referred  to  a 
Committee  —  Fourth  Annual  Report,  October,  1840  —  Manuscript  of  a  Ger- 
man Version  Submitted  —  Act  of  Incorporation  Passed  —  Society  Organizes 
and  Passes  Bye-Laws  —  Death  of  Rev.  Lewis  P.  Bayard 447 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


VOLUME  I. 


PAGE. 


JOHN  HENRY  HOBART Frontispiece. 

MATTHEW  CLARKSON  50 

HENRY  HADLEY  NORRIS 178 

BENJAMIN  I.  HAIGHT 388 


PREFACE. 

THE  History  of  a  Society  does  not  possess  the  same  vivid 
interest  that  the  record  of  a  human  life  does,  yet  there 
is  the  element  of  struggle  as  much  in  the  one  as  in  the 
other.  No  biography  is  worth  the  telling,  or  the  reading,  unless 
the  record  of  the  life  struggle  against  evil  and  for  higher  things 
is  honestly  told.  In  the  History  of  this  Society  we  see  running 
right  through  the  hundred  years  of  its  existence  the  constant 
struggle  to  be  true  to  its  foundation  principles,  to  be  loyal  to 
its  inherited  trust.  Men  of  varying  temperaments  and  differing 
ranks  of  life  succeed  one  another  as  officers  of  the  Society,  they 
hold  different  views  on  minor  matters,  but  down  the  Hundred 
Years  there  is  no  faltering  in  the  fulfillment  of  the  trust  com- 
mitted to  the  First  Board,  that  of  spreading  broadcast  through- 
out the  land  the  Bible  and  Prayer  Book.  Time  and  time  again 
the  funds  ran  so  low  that  year  after  year  closed  with  a  deficit, 
but  by  devotion  and  self-denial  on  the  part  of  some  of  its  mem- 
bers the  Society  was  kept  alive  until  finally  the  faithful  laity 
rallied  to  its  support  by  donations  and  bequests,  and  assured  the 
stability  of  its  work.  It  encountered  bitter  and  unreasoning 
opposition  in  the  early  days  of  its  existence,  but  little  by  little 
as  the  work  of  the  Society  progressed,  this  opposition  ceased 
and  there  is  now  not  to  be  found  a  single  voice  raised  in  detrac- 
tion of  its  objects — the  dissemination  of  the  Bible  and  the  Prayer 
Book. 

In  dark  times  and  in  bright  days,  in  good  report  and  evil  re- 
port, the  men  in  charge  of  the  interests  of  the  Society  have  one 
and  all  been  mindful  of  the  trust  committed  to  their  hands,  and 
wrought  as  a  unit  to  increase  its  operations  upon  no  other  than 
the  lines  laid  down  by  its  founders. 

This  it  seems  to  me,  to  be  a  great  thing  to  say  of  any  Society, 
and  delving  in  the  records  of  the  past  as  I  have,  I  can  unhesi- 
tatingly bear  witness  to  its  truth. 

Loyalty  and  self-sacrifice  are  the  rarest  of  qualities  in  man  or 
woman,  and  seldom,  I  fear,  found  in  societies  or  corporations. 


2  Foundation  of  Societies  in  England.        [1698 

ments  in  England  which  led  to  the  foundation  there  of  various 
Societies  which  had  for  their  primary  objects  the  religious  educa* 
tion  of  the  people,  their  moral  uplift  and  the  general  betterment 
of  their  social  conditions. 

The  close  of  the  eighteenth  century,  like  the  close  of  the  seven- 
teenth, saw  an  awakening  of  the  conscience  of  England  to  duties 
and  responsibilities  which  had  been  neglected. 

The  work  of  the  great  societies  founded  more  than  two  hun- 
dred years  ago.  was  primarily  for  the  benefit  of  the  "Plantations, 
Colonies  and  Factories  beyond  the  Seas"  of  Great  Britain.  The 
chief  object  of  those  formed  as  the  nineteenth  century  was  dawn- 
ing, was  the  elevation  of  the  poor  and  outcast  within  the  realm 
of  England. 

There  was,  however,  no  narrowness  in  them  as  there  had  been 
none  in  those  great  missionary  agencies  which  had  then  for  a 
hundred  years  been  doing  effective  service  in  ministering  to  the 
spiritual  wants  of  Englishmen  beyond  the  confines  of  their  native 
land,  furnishing  Bibles,  Prayer  Books,  Catechisms  and  books  of 
devotion,  as  well  as  engaging  with  vigour  in  the  conversion  of 
Indians,  Negroes,  and  others  who  knew  not  the  blessed  Gospel  of 
our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 

The  formation  of  these  seventeenth  century  societies  can  be 
traced  directly  to  the  zeal,  energy,  and  devotion  of  one  man, 
Thomas  Bray,  whose  soul  was  stirred  to  its  depths  by  the  irre- 
ligion  and  immorality  which  he  witnessed  in  the  greater  part  of 
the  American  Colonies,  on  his  visits  there  as  Commissary  of  the 
Bishop  of  IvOndon  for  Maryland. 

To  deepen  devotion  and  to  counteract  the  influence  of  the 
scoffing  literature  of  the  day.  Dr.  Bray  formed  the  plan  of  found- 
ing parish  libraries  in  the  Colonies.  For  this  object,  he  and 
others  form  in  1698  The  Christian  Knowledge  Society. 

After  an  existence  of  more  than  two  hundred  years  of  varied 
usefulness,  it  is  still  carrying  out  its  purpose  as  set  forth  in  its 
charter. 

If  the  immigrants  to  the  colonies  were  to  retain  their  religious 
and  moral  principles  they  must  have  churches  and  ministers. 

Those  living  in  colonies  where  the  government  was  hostile  to 
the  Church  of  England  with  no  provision  made  for  the  support  of 
the  Established  Church  would  be  as  sheep  without  a  shepherd 


1701]  S.  P.  G.  Founded.  3 

unless  their  scanty  means  were  supplemented  by  the  free-will 
offerings  of  their  wealthier  brethren  in  the  Mother  country. 

The  conversion  of  the  roaming  tribes  of  Indians,  whose  ideas 
of  the  Deity  were  vague,  to  a  real  knowledge  of  Almighty  God 
as  revealed  in  Jesus  Christ,  was  also  greatly  to  be  desired. 

At  the  suggestion  of  Dr.  Bray,  the  Archbishops,  Bishops,  and 
other  dignitaries  in  England  organized  another  Society  in  Eng- 
land under  the  name  of  The  Incorporated  Society  for  the  Propa- 
gation of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts,  chartered  in  1701. 

It  had  for  its  double  object  the  conversion  of  the  Indians  and 
Negro  slaves  and  the  care  of  the  English  Churchmen  in  the  Colo- 
nies by  providing,  as  far  as  its  means  would  allow,  clergymen, 
churches  and  glebes. 

The  well-planned  and  systematic  efforts  of  this  Society  for  the 
evangelization  of  the  world  is  well  known  to  every  one  of  the 
Anglo-Saxon  race.  America,  India,  Africa,  Australia,  New 
Zealand,  China  and  the  Islands  of  the  Sea,  bear  witness  to  its 
faithfulness  to  its  original  purpose.  With  unabated  energy  it 
maintains  an  increasing  band  of  mission  clergy  and  workers  in 
various  parts  of  the  world. 

Dr.  Bray's  efforts  for  the  good  of  his  fellow  men  are  still  bear- 
ing fruit,  and  his  life  of  unselfishness  deserves  to  be  better  known 
in  this  generation. 

It  is  hard  for  us  to  realize  the  conditions  in  England  when 
George  the  Second  ascended  the  throne.  Drunkenness,  gluttony, 
and  licentiousness  were  so  common  in  every  rank  of  life  that  they 
excited  no  comment.  The  gaols  in  England  were  crowded  with 
men  and  women,  some  of  whom  were  imprisoned  for  no  more 
heinous  offence  than  owing  a  few  shillings.  These  places  were 
the  hotbeds  of  all  kinds  of  vice  and  disease.  Members  of  Par- 
liament, Squires  and  Merchants  all  frequented  the  tavern  and 
rarely  left  it  sober.  In  their  endeavour  to  check  the  importation 
and  use  of  French  brandy,  the  government  had  removed  all  taxes 
on 'the  sale  of  gin.  Immediately  over  six  thousand  gin  shops  were 
opened  in  London  and  Westminster,  and  gin  was  hawked  about 
by  peddlers  from  door  to  door.  The  streets  were  lumbered  with 
men  and  women  sleeping  off  their  potations.  The.  talk  and  jests, 
even  among  the  educated  people,  were  ever  seasoned  with  the 
grossest  coarseness.  The  squibs,  the  cartoons,  and  the  novels 
were  all  alike  coarse  and  licentious.     The  sports  had  no  charm 


4  Religious  and  Social  Conditions.  [1706 

unless  they  were  cruel,  and  the  greater  the  cruelty  promised,  the 
greater  the  crowd.  The  hangings  at  Tyburn  were  the  fashionable 
matinees  of  the  period.  Everything  that  was  vile,  that  was 
degrading,  that  was  brutal,  was  so  much  a  matter  of  course  that 
no  one  was  shocked.  The  clergy  of  the  Church  of  England,  the 
Ministers  of  the  Nonconformist  bodies  were  all  apparently  asleep. 
It  was  a  day  when  zeal  was  a  crime;  and  the  best  preaching  of 
the  day  consisted  of  well  written  essays  against  Deism  or  Ration- 
alism. In  the  country,  church  buildings  were  neglected  and  in 
decay  because  pluralism  was  rampant.  A  well  connected  clergy- 
man, or  one  who  had  political  influence  had  several  livings,  visit- 
ing none  of  them,  but  drawing  their  endowments,  and  paying  a 
scanty  fee  to  some  unfortunate  cleric  to  take  his  duty  for  him. 
The  Sacraments  were  neglected,  and  all  Missionary  work  was  at 
a  complete  standstill.  In  the  year  1743  there  was  an  arrear  of 
twelve  years'  neglect  of  Confirmations  which  had  to  be  worked 
off  in  Yorkshire  alone. ^ 

In  New  York  the  conditions  were  not  as  bad  as  in  London, 
because  New  York  was  then  a  little  provincial  town;  but  they 
were  bad  enough,  as  any  one  can  see  who  cares  to  read  the  ac- 
count given  by  the  Rev.  John  Miller  of  the  state  of  New  York 
in  1695.  Zeal  was  equally  at  a  discount,  and  apathy  brooded 
over  the  Church.  The  community  at  large  had  no  conscience. 
It  had  not  yet  begun  to  realize,  what  we  are  now  dimly  perceiv- 
ing, that  the  community  is  a  trustee  for  the  welfare  of  every 
individual  unit  in  it.  Imprisonment  for  debt  was  of  constant 
occurrence,  and  the  gaols  were  but  on  a  smaller  scale  what  these 
dens  were  in  England.  Charity  sermons  were  actually  preached 
in  Trinity  Church  to  relieve  the  great  distress  of  the  prisoners. 
An  added  complication,  unknown  in  England,  was  present  in 
New  York.  Slavery  and  the  Negro.  If  the  Negro  was  well  fed, 
his  master  considered  he  had  done  his  duty.  His  mental,  moral, 
or  spiritual  education  was  never  considered.  It  was  not  until 
about  1706,  that  Mr.  Neau,  notwithstanding  the  opposition  of 
the  masters,  began  to  instruct  the  Negroes,  and  to  teach  them  the 
rudiments  of  Religion.  The  first  regular  Sunday  school  for  col- 
oured children-  in  Trinity  Parish  was  not  held  till  about  1850, 
when  Miss  Maria  Forbes  gathered  a  number  of  these  children 

I.    See  Memoirs  of  a  Royal  Chaplain.     1729-1763.    p.  88. 


1739]      New  York  in  the  Eighteenth  Century.  5 

together  in  the  belfry  of  St.  John's  Chapel,  because  there  was 
too  much  opposition  to  her  having  her  class  in  the  body  of  the 
Church.  As  for  bettering  or  improving  the  condition  of  the 
Negroes  and  poor  whites,  nothing  was  done,  even  in  a  limited 
way.  On  the  occasion  of  the  Negro  riots  in  1712,  the  statement 
was  constantly  made  by  persons  of  position  that  Christianity 
made  the  Negro  worse,  and  the  argument  was  boldly  advocated 
that  the  Negro  should  not  be  made  a  Christian.  Strange  as  it 
may  seem  to  us  nowadays  the  herding  and  overcrowding  had 
already  begun  in  the  little  community  which  then  lived  between 
the  Battery  and  the  City  Hall. 

Between  August  23  and  November  15,  1731,  when  Colonel 
Cosby  was  Governor  of  New  York,  and  Mr.  Vesey  in  charge  of 
Trinity  Parish,  small  pox  carried  off  478  white  people.  This 
will  indicate  the  unsanitary  and  crowded  condition  of  the  poor. 

Later  on,  under  Bishops  Provoost  and  Moore,  matters  were 
somewhat  better,  but  while  Provoost  was  an  excellent  adminis- 
trator, and  Moore  a  gentle  kind  hearted  man  of  blameless  repu- 
tation, neither  of  them  were  men  of  large  visions.  Bishop  Moore, 
it  is  true,  recognized  that  the  Church  should  be  extended,  but  it 
is  to  be  admitted  that  whatever  missionary  enterprise  there  was 
under  the  first  two  Bishops  of  New  York  was  of  a  timid  and 
halting  character.  A  hundred  years  ago  there  were  resident  in 
the  city  of  New  York,  besides  the  two  Bishops,  Dr.  Moore  and 
Dr.  Provoost,  only  ten  clergymen,  and  in  the  State  outside  of  the 
city  limits  about  twenty-six  in  all,  most  of  whom  were  in  the 
immediate  vicinity  of  the  city. 

Curiously  enough,  it  was  the  failure  of  John  Wesley  and 
Whitefield  as  Missionaries  in  Georgia,  that  led  to  the  awakening 
of  the  lower  and  middle  classes  in  England,  and  to  the  conse- 
quent betterment  in  America.  It  was  on  their  return  from 
America  that  they  began  their  effective  open  air  preaching.  In 
February,  1739,  Whitefield  preached  his  first  out-of-door  sermon 
to  the  colliers  at  Kingswood,  and  in  the  following  April  Wesley 
preached  from  a  little  mound  at  Bristol. 

Dr.  Hobart,  the  third  Bishop  of  New  York,  did  not  take 
to  open-air  preaching,  but  he  conducted  a  campaign  on 
behalf  of  the  Church  just  as  effective,  and  even  more  so. 
He  was  not  only  an  indefatigable  preacher,  but  he  made 
use    of    printer's    ink.      Under    various    pen    names     he     con- 


6  First  Edition  of  the  Prayer  Book.         [1785 

tributed  articles  to  the  Press,  he  wrote  tracts  and  treatises,  edited 
works,  in  a  word,  he  made  such  a  vigorous  use  of  his  pen  that  he 
woke  up  the  Laodiceans  in  the  Church,  and  aroused  an  enthusi- 
asm and  zeal,  the  effects  of  which  have  not  yet  passed  away. 
Once  his  attention  was  drawn  to  the  literary  campaign  in  Eng- 
land, he  was  brought  to  pursue  the  same  methods  over  here  and 
threw  himself  heart  and  soul  in  the  establishment  of  societies 
and  agencies  that  had  for  their  object  the  diffusion  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  and  all  literature  that 
expounded  the  doctrines  of  the  Church  or  defended  its  claims. 

In  this  connection  with  printer's  ink  it  is  well  to  remember 
that  William  Bradford,  Vestryman  of  Trinity  Church,  has  the 
honour  of  being  the  first  in  America  who  proposed  to  print  the 
Holy  Bible  complete,  Apocrypha  and  all,  and  "for  those  who  are 
minded  to  have  the  Common  Prayer  Book  shall  have  the  whole 
bound  up  for  22  shillings." 

This  was  in  1688.  Prior  to  171 1,  through  the  assistance  of 
Trinity  Church,  an  edition  of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  was 
actually  printed.  As.  Mr.  William  Wallace  says  in  his  address 
on  the  Two  Hundredth  Birthday  of  William  Bradford :  "The 
first  edition  of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  ever  actually  printed 
in  America  was  printed  under  the  auspices  of  Trinity  Church,  by 
one  of  her  Vestrymen ;  an  assistant  Minister  of  the  Church,  being 
himself  the  surety  for  the  fidelity  of  the  Printer's  contracts."^ 

The  preaching  of  Wesley,  Whitefield  and  their  companions, 
began  to  be  seen,  not  only  in  the  greater  regard  paid  to  personal 
religion  through  the  Methodist  societies  and  classes,  but  in  the 
desire  for  the  welfare  of  others  as  shown  in  the  formation  of 
general  societies  for  the  common  good. 

One  of  these  was  to  carry  out  the  benevolent  plan  of  Robert 
Paikes  for  the  secular  and  religious  instruction  of  the  children 
of  the  poor  in  Sunday  Schools.  It  was  formed  in  1785  as  "The 
Society  for  the  Support  and  Encouragement  of  Sunday  Schools." 

It  enjoyed  the  support  of  those  high  in  station  in  England, 
and  in  fifteen  years  had  spent  more  than  fourteen  thousand 
pounds  in  organizing  and  supporting  Sunday  Schools.  Five  years 
before,  a  Bible  Society  for  work  among  the  soldiers  and  sailors 
had  been  organized.    It  found  abundant  opportunity  for  a  much 

I.    Pages  44,  82. 


1791J  Dearth  of  Bibles  in  England.  7 

needed  work.  To  this  was  added  in  1799  the  ReHgious  Tract 
Society  whose  pubHcations  were  of  great  service  to  many  in  the 
crowded  city,  for  some  would  read  a  short  tract  when  they  would 
rot  open  the  Holy  Bible. 

As  the  London  Missionary  Society  was  principally  designed 
to  provide  Missionaries  for  the  Islands  of  the  Southern  Pacific; 
another  Society,  composed  chiefly  of  members  of  the  rapidly 
growing  Evangelical  School  in  the  Church  of  England,  with  the 
special  intention  of  providing  for  the  promising  work  in  India 
and  other  parts  of  Asia  was  formed  in  1799  under  the  name  of 
the  Church  ]\Iissionary  Society. 

One  of  the  special  purposes  of  the  Society  for  promoting 
Christian  Knowledge  was  to  supply  the  people  of  Great  Britain 
with  copies  of  the  Holy  Scriptures.  Even  that  great  Society 
could  not  print  for  themselves,  but  had  to  buy  their  supplies  from 
the  King's  Printers  or  the  Universities,  who  alone  even  to  this 
day  are  authorized  to  print  the  Holy  Bible  in  English.^ 

Early  in  1791  there  commenced  in  the  principality  of  Wales  a 
religious  awakening  which  affected  all  classes,  but  especially 
those  who  were  entirely  ignorant  of  the  English  language.  As 
they  were  aroused  from  indifference  and  carelessness  they  desired 
to  read  for  themselves  the  word  of  God.  The  faithful  men  who 
had  instructed  them  in  the  principles  of  the  Christian  life  sought 
from  the  Christian  Knowledge  Society  donations  of  the  whole 
Bible  and  of  the  New  Testament  in  Welsh,  and  as  far  as  their 
means  allowed  them  purchased  hundreds  of  copies  for  distribu- 
tion. So  great  was  the  demand  that  the  number  left  in  stock 
was  soon  exhausted.  Many  gladly  paid  large  prices  for  them. 
Orders  sent  by  clergymen  in  Wales  could  not  be  filled  and  as  the 
revival  continued  appeals  were  made  to  the  Society  to  print  an 
edition  of  ten  thousand. 


I.  In  England  the  printing  of  Bibles  (without  Commentaries  or  Anno- 
tations) is  strictly  limited  to  Three  Presses :  The  King's  Printers,  the  Univer- 
sity of  Oxford  and  the  University  of  Cambridge,  and  special  arrangements 

of  a  similar  nature  are  made  for  Scotland  and  for  Ireland If  the 

Bible  is  printed  in  any  language  other  than  English,  or  if  there  is  a  Com- 
mentary or  Notes,  or  References,  then  any  one  may  (in  Great  Britain  or 
Ireland)  print  a  special  edition  of  the  Bible. 

The  Church  Electic,  May,  1906,  Volume  xxviii.  No.  2,  English  Bible  Ver- 
sions, by  the  Rev.  Henry  Barker,  M.A.,  p.  123. 


8  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society.  [1804 

In  1796  the  plea  was  finally  heard  and  three  years  later  an 
edition  of  ten  thousand  Bibles  and  two  thousand  New  Testaments 
was  printed  in  Welsh.  But  even  this  did  not  supply  one-fourth 
of  the  demand. 

The  story  is  told  of  a  young  Welsh  girl  who  for  years  had  been 
saving  from  her  scanty  wages  the  money  to  purchase  a  Bible.. 
but  who  after  walking  twenty-five  miles  in  wintry  weather  found 
to  her  dismay  that  they  were  all  sold, — not  one  copy  left.  Her 
keen  disappointment,  and  tears  of  sorrow  made  such  a  deep 
impression  upon  the  Rev.  Thomas  Charles  of  Bala,  a  man  who 
had  given  himself  to  the  work  of  evangelisation  in  Wales,  that 
he  again  most  earnestly  besought  the  Christian  Knowledge 
Society  to  print  a  still  larger  edition.  On  the  announcement  of 
the  Society  that  it  could  not,  in  consideration  of  other  claims 
upon  its  funds,  undertake  that  task,  he  consulted  with  various 
friends,  especially  the  Rev.  Thomas  Jones,  one  of  his  fellow 
workers,  and  the  officers  of  the  Religious  Tract  Society,  hoping 
that  from  it  a  new  supply  of  Bibles  in  W^elsh  might  be  obtained. 
The  suggestion  of  the  Rev.  Thomas  Hughes,  of  Battersea,  a 
member  of  the  Committee  of  that  Society,  "Surely  a  Society 
might  be  formed  for  the  purpose,"  and  the  inquiry  of  Mr.  Joseph 
Hardcastle,  President  of  the  London  Missionary  Society,  con- 
cerning the  prospect  for  evangelistic  work  in  Paris,  stirred  the 
consciences  of  devout  men  in  London  and  elsewhere.  They 
perceived  the  urgent  need  for  a  more  uniform  and  available 
supply  of  copies  of  the  Holy  Scripture  in  various  languages. 

Instead,  therefore,  of  a  Society  to  meet  the  actual  demand 
from  Wales,  the  scope  of  the  proposed  society  was  broadened. 
The  principles  upon  which  it  was  to  be  formed  were  carefully 
considered.  The  discussion  and  determination  of  the  details  of 
an  organization  broad  enough  to  include  both  members  of  the 
Church  of  England  and  non-conformists  extended  over  two  years. 
Finally  a  representative  company  of  clergymen  and  laymen  met 
in  London  and  organized  on  March  7,  1804,  The  British  and 
Foreign  Bible  Society. 

On  Wednesday,  March  7,  1804,  there  was  a  public  meeting 
at  the  London  Tavern,  No.  123,  Bishopgate  street.  About  three 
hundred  persons  of  various  beliefs  were  present,  Mr.  Granville 
Sharpe  presided,  and  after  Mr.  Robert  Cowie,  Mr.  William 
Alers,  Mr.  Samuel  Mills,  and  Mr.  Hughes  had  spoken  on  the 


1804]  Meeting  at  the  London  Tavern.  0 

need  for  the  Society  and  the  nature  and  range  of  the  contemplated 
work,  Mr.  Steinkopff,  pastor  of  the  German  Lutheran  Church 
in  the  Savoy,  described  the  scarcity  of  the  Scriptures  in  the  for- 
eign parts  he  had  visited,  and  appealed  to  the  compassion  and 
munificence  of  British  Christians  on  behalf  of  the  spiritual  wants 
of  his  fellow  German  countrymen. 

The  Rev.  John  Owen,  Curate  and  Lecturer  of  Fulham,  and 
Chaplain  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  who  had  attended  with  much 
hesitation,  now  arose  on  the  spur  of  "an  impulse,"  which,  as  he 
expressed  it,  "he  had  neither  the  inclination  nor  the  power  to 
disobey."    What  he  felt  may  be  best  described  in  his  own  words : 

"Surrounded  by  a  multitude  of  Christians  whose  doctrinal  and 
ritual  differences  had  for  ages  kept  them  asunder  and  who  had 
been  taught  to  regard  each  other  with  a  sort  of  pious  estrange- 
ment, or  rather  of  consecrated  hostility;  and  reflecting  on  the 
object  and  on  the  end  which  had  brought  them  so  harmoniously 
together,  he  felt  an  impression  which  no  length  of  time  would 
entirely  remove.  The  scene  was  new;  nothing  analagous  to  it 
had  perhaps  been  exhibited  before  in  public  since  Christians  had 
begun  to  organize  against  each  other  the  strife  of  separation,  and 
to  carry  into  their  own  camp  that  war  which  they  ought  to  have 
waged  in  concert  against  the  common  enemy.  To  him  it 
appeared  to  indicate  the  dawn  of  a  new  era  in  Christendom ;  and 
to  portend  something  like  the  return  of  those  auspicious  days 
when  the  multitude  of  them  that  believed  were  of  one  heart  and 
one  soul;  and  when  as  a  consequence  of  that  union,  to  a  certain 
degree,  at  least  the  Word  of  God  mightily  grew  and  prevailed."^ 

The  Right  Honourable  John,  Lord  Teignmouth,  was  elected 
President,  and  the  Vice  Presidents  included  the  Bishops  of  Lon- 
don, Dr.  Charles  Manners  Sutton,  Exeter,  Dr.  George  Pelham, 
St.  David's,  Dr.  Thomas  Burgess,  Sir  William  Peperell,  Vice 
Admiral  Gambler,  and  Mr.  William  Wilberforce.  In  its  first 
announcement  it  plainly  set  forth  the  reasons  for  its  formation, 
which  were  chiefly  "the  prevalence  of  ignorance,  superstition  and 
idolatry,  over  so  large  a  portion  of  the  world,  the  limited  nature 
of  the  respectable  societies  now  in  existence,  and  their  acknowl- 
edged insufficiency  to  supply  the  demand  for  Bibles  in  the  United 

1.  History  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  by  William  Canton, 
Vol.  I.  pp.  ii. ;  xii. ;  512.    Vol.  II.  pp.  xii. ;  496. 


10  Grants  of  Bibles.  [1804 


Kingdom  and  foreign  countries,  and  the  recent  attempts  which 
have  been  made  on  the  part  of  InfldeHty  to  discredit  the  evidence, 
vilify  the  character,  and  destroy  the  influence  of  Christianity." 
It  declared  that  the  exclusive  object  of  the  society  is,  to  diffuse  the 
knowledge  of  the  Holy  .Scriptures  by  circulating  them  in  the 
different  languages  spoken  throughout  Great  Britain  and  Ireland. 
And  also  according  to  the  extent  of  funds  by  promoting  the 
printing  of  them  in  foreign  languages  and  the  distribution  of 
them  in  foreign  countries." 

In  conclusion  the  announcement  says :  "The  principles  upon 
which  this  undertaking  will  be  conducted,  are  as  comprehensive 
as  the  nature  of  the  object  suggest  that  they  should  be.  In  the 
execution  of  the  plan  it  is  proposed  to  embrace  the  support  of 
Christians  at  large;  and  to  invite  the  concurrence  of  persons  of 
every  description  who  profess  to  regard  the  Scriptures  as  the 
proper  standard  of  faith. "^ 

The  success  of  the  society  was  immediate.  It  was  the  first 
organization  in  which  all  "Protestant"  Christians  had  united.  At 
first  some  conservative  churchmen  stood  aloof,  but  without 
making  formal  remonstrance.  The  leaders  of  the  Evangelical 
school  heartily  supported  it.  Every  prominent  non-conformist 
became  an  enthusiastic  advocate  of  its  whole  design.  In  its  first 
year  it  received  in  subscriptions  nearly  £700,  of  which  £366,  2s. 
lod  were  granted  in  money  and  Bibles  to  supply  those  who  could 
not  pay.  In  its  fifth  year  the  grants  of  the  Society  had  increased 
to  £9,749,  17s.  At  the  end  of  ten  years  its  total  grants  had 
reached  the  large  sum  of  £79,543,  15s.  5d. 

Branch  societies  were  organized  in  many  of  the  towns  and 
cities  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  and  on  the  continent  of 
Europe. 

The  number  reported  in  18 15  in  the  British  dominions  was 
four  hundred  and  six. 

It  had  issued  in  Great  Britain  four  hundred  and  twenty-six 
thousand  two  hundred  and  eighty-six  Bibles  and  six  hundred 
and  forty-four  thousand  one  hundred  and  fifty-five  New  Testa- 
ments.    The  number  distributed  on  the  Continent  by  the  agents 

I.  These  extracts  of  the  "Original  Statement",  1805,  are  taken  from  an 
Abridged  Statement  of  the  leading  Transactions  of  the  British  and  Foreign 
Bible  Society,  in  the  Pamphleteer  (vol.  vi,,  pp.  270,  et  seq.). 


1805]  Opposition  to  the  Bible  Society.  11 

of  the  Society  and  affiliated  organizations  made  the  whole  num- 
ber circulated  through  this  Society  one  million  two  hundred  and 
eighty-seven  thousand  five  hundred  and  ninety-six  (1,287,596). 
This  beneficent  work  was  not  done  without  controversy  and  oppo- 
sition. Many  Churchmen  looked  askance  upon  an  organization 
in  which  Churchmen  and  Nonconformists  were  united  for  a  com- 
mon religious  purpose. 

When  Lord  Teignmouth  issued  his  first  Presidential  address 
and  invitation  to  all  "protestant  Christians,  especially  the  clergy," 
to  join  in  the  general  circulation  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  by  mem- 
bership in  the  Society  and  contribution  to  its  funds,  he  was 
answered  in  a  temperate  manner  by  "A  Clergyman."* 

But  the  most  serious  and  bitter  opposition  came  at  a  later 
period,  when  Dr.  Herbert  Marsh,  then  a  scholar  of  high  reputa- 
tion and  Margaret  Professor  of  Divinity  at  Cambridge,  and 
afterward,  successively,  Bishop  of  Llandaff  and  of  Peterborough, 
contended  that  any  union  between  the  Church  of  England  and 
non-conformity  would  tend  to  obscure  its  distinctive  principles. 
He  thought  that  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  with  its  large 
measure  of  Scripture  passages  and  its  treasury  of  devotion  should 
also  be  circulated. 

In  an  essay  upon  "The  Education  of  the  Poor,"  according  to 
the  system  of  Dr.  Joseph  Lancaster,  a  writer  in  The  Edinburgh 
Review,  in  commenting  upon  a  sermon  by  Dr.  Marsh  upon  "The 
National  Religion  the  Foundation  of  National  Education,"  on 
June  15,  181 1,  before  the  London  Charity  School  Children  and 
members  of  the  Society  for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge, 
thus  satirises  the  preacher :  "The  Daubenys,  Trimmers,  and 
Sprys,  with  the  strange  mystical  personage  who  lectured  against 
education  at  our  Institutions,  being  now  found  quite  unequal  to 
the  office  of  raising  this  alarm,  recourse  has  been  had  to  the 
greater  engines  of  the  Church.  And  first  appears  Mr.  Professor 
Marsh,  a  person  adorned  with  various  and  weighty  titles,  and 
occupying  the  Divinity  Chair  in  one  of  the  Universities — cele- 
brated too,  we  have  no  doubt,  for  his  attainments  in  science, 
which  have  placed  him  in  the  Royal  Society — distinguished,  it 

I.  An  Address  to  Lord  Teignmouth,  President  of  the  British  and  Foreign 
Bible  Society,  occasioned  by  his  address  to  the  Clergy  of  the  Church  of 
England.     By  A  Clergyman.     1805. 


12  Controversies.  [1810 


may  be  presumed,  among  his  reverend  brethren,  for  a  peculiar 
devotion  to  the  duties  of  the  Church  whose  dangers  seem  upper- 
most in  his  thoughts, — but  unquestionably  a  good  deal  better 
known  to  the  world  as  the  author  of  a  bulky  ministerial  pamphlet 
in  defence  of  the  war  than  in  any  of  his  other  capacities.  This 
very  circumstance,  however,  of  his  political  services,  the  noted 
fact  of  his  being  a  favoured  writer  in  the  interests  of  the  Court, 
and  consequently  belonging  to  the  class  of  safe  and  flourishing 
politicians,  pointed  him  out  as  the  proper  person  to  begin  this 
new  charge — a  sort  of  dignitary  of  the  Church,  one  designated 
for  its  most  snug,  if  not  most  splendid  gifts — a  Prebendary,  if 
not  a  Bishop  elect,  would  not  only  lead  the  cry  with  authority  but 
would  show  the  way  to  others,  inducing  them  to  fill  up  the  con- 
cert, by  setting  before  them  the  edifying  example  of  a  flourishing 
man  devoted  to  this  work.  When  Mr.  Professor  Marsh  walks  in 
this  way  it  is  safe  to  follow — is  a  thought  that  has  probably 
passed  already  in  the  mind  of  many  a  score  in  our  universities 
and  parsonages."^ 

He  was  supported  by  writers  of  varying  ability  and  courtesy 
and  the  answers  were  sometimes  pertinent  and  acute,  at  others 
merely  arrogant  and  abusive.  One  of  the  stronger  defenders  of 
the  Church  system  of  "The  Bible  in  the  Church"  was  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Christopher  Wordsworth,  Dean  of  Bocking,  and  Domestic 
Chaplain  of  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  a  brother  of  the  poet, 
the  father  of  two  Bishops,  and  himself  a  graceful  writer.  He 
represented  in  a  day  of  spiritual  declension  the  survival  of  the 
sound  theology  and  reverent  devotion  of  the  Caroline  divines 
among  the  old  county  families  of  the  remote  portions  of  England. 

The  Bishop  of  London^  in  a  letter  to  the  Rev.  P.  Yorke  states 
the  reasons  why  he  could  not  become  a  member  of  the  British 
and  Foreign  Bible  Society.  As  the  best  brief  presentation  of  the 
conscientious  scruples  of  a  man  of  high  character,  and  as  voicing 

1.  The  Edinburgh  Review,  November,  1811.  No.  xxxvii.  Edinburgh, 
Printed.     New  York:  Reprinted  for  Ezra  Sergeant.     1812.    p.  25. 

2.  Dr.  John  Randolph,  Regius  Professor  of  Divinity  in  the  University 
of  Oxford,  was  consecrated  for  the  See  of  Oxford  on  September  i,  1799, 
by  Dr.  John  Moore,  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  assisted  by  the  Bishops  of 
Winchester,  Dr.  North,  and  Rochester,  Dr.  Horsley.  He  was  translated  to 
Bangor,  1807,  and  to  London,  1809.     He  died  July  28,  1813. 


1810]  Opposition  of  Bishop  of  London.  13 

evidently  the  sentiments  of  the  opponents  of  the  Society,  it  de- 
serves consideration  as  a  part  of  the  history  of  the  controversy. 

To  the  Rev.  P.  Yorke,  to  he  communicated  to  the  other  members 
of  the  meeting  of  the  clergy  at  Colchester. 

Dear  Sir : — I  am  very  sorry  to  differ  from  the  respectable  body 
of  clergymen  who  have  signed  the  memorial  to  me  respecting  an 
Auxiliary  Bible  Society,  and  especially  to  differ  from  them  on 
such  a  subject.  But  thinking  otherwise,  as  I  do,  after  mature 
deliberation  upon  a  subject  not  new  to  me,  and  after  consulting 
with  some  of  my  brethren  of  the  same  bench,  on  whose  opinion 
I  much  rely,  I  will  not  hesitate  to  give  my  reasons  (trusting  that 
I  may  write  with  confidence,  openly  and  plainly),  as  far  as  the 
limits  of  a  letter  will  allow. 

Now,  from  the  first,  I  have  always  considered  the  institution 
of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  as  unnecessary ;  because 
every  good  purpose  of  the  same  might  have  been  accomplished  by 
an  orthodox  society  of  long  standing;  separate  funds  (if  such 
were  expedient)  being  formed  for  any  new  purposes :  for  which 
measure  there  are  several  precedents  in  the  proceedings  of  that 
Society.  I  do  not  approve  of  multiplying  societies  for  the  same 
purpose.  But  it  was  further  objectionable,  because  it  was  estab- 
lishing a  rival  society  (whilst  there  was  no  complaint  of  mis- 
management, as  far  as  I  have  heard,  in  the  other)  with  no  other 
difference  than  the  departing  from  a  fundamental  rule,  and  a  very 
judicious  one  in  my  opinion,  that  the  members  should  be  of  the 
Church  of  England.  This  new  Society  admits,  I  believe,  dis- 
senters of  any  denomination,  and  thus  conveys  an  implied  censure 
on  the  aforesaid  rule.  I  think  it  better  to  leave  the  dissenters  to 
themselves.  When  admitted  into  religious  society  with  us,  they 
will,  and  it  is  natural  for  them  (without  any  disparagement,  be 
this  spoken,  either  to  the  whole  bodies  or  individuals  among  them, 
many  of  whom,  no  doubt,  are  very  respectable),  endeavour  to 
gain  the  ascendancy,  and  to  supplant  us,  whenever  they  find  an 
opportunity. 

These  were  my  original  objections,  and  I  see  not  but  that  they 
remain  yet  in  full  force.  It  is  said  they  are  not  substantiated  by 
facts,  and  that  no  practical  evil  has  followed.  I  do  not  agree  in 
this ;  but  I  must  observe,  that  if  the  evil  be  gradually  creeping  on, 
it  will  be  palliated  from  time  to  time,  and  not  appear  to  every 


14  Opposition  of  Bishop  of  London.  [1810 

one  in  its  true  colours  till  it  be  difficult  or  too  late  to  remedy  it. 
This  Society,  it  is  further  said,  will  secede  upon  any  act  of  mal- 
administration in  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society.  They 
cannot  find  a  reason  for  doing  so,  unless  such  act  be  notorious 
and  flagrant  (which  is  not  likely  to  be  for  some  time),  and  not 
even  then,  with  any  advantage,  if  the  dissenting  part  among 
them,  or  in  the  other  society  to  which  they  are  an  appendage, 
shall  have  gained  the  ascendancy.  But,  as  I  said,  I  do  not  agree 
in  this.  The  very  first  act,  or  one  of  the  first  acts  of  the  British 
and  Foreign  Bible  Society  was  to  undertake  a  Welsh  Bible,  at 
the  time  when  the  Society  for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge, 
in  conjunction  with  the  University  of  Oxford,  was  preparing  as 
large  an  edition  as  could  be  wanted,  under  the  patronage  of  the 
Welsh  Bishops;  and  to  place  it  in  the  hands  of  a  most  noted 
leader  of  the  dissenters  in  that  country.  And  when  put  to  shame 
on  this  head,  they  still  persisted  in  forwarding  their  edition :  an 
act,  as  it  seems  to  me,  of  undue  rivalship,  by  means  which  the 
University  of  Oxford  could  not  take,  in  order  to  give  an  advant- 
age to  the  dissenters ;  for  it  is  a  fact,  though  it  may  seem  improb- 
able to  you,  that  the  very  distribution  of  the  Bible  was  made  an 
instrument  of  influence  to  the  sectaries,  who  in  my  opinion,  have 
been  the  cause  of  more  injury  to  society,  and  to  sound  religion, 
than  anything  which  has  happened  for  centuries  before.  I  say 
these  things  from  personal  experience  and  knowledge. 

Much  practical  good,  it  is  also  said  has  been  done.  I  know  of 
none  which  might  not  have  been  done  as  well  through  the  medium 
of  the  other  Society;  and  with  respect  to  the  accounts  of  good 
done  abroad,  I  own  I  look  on  them  with  much  doubt  and  sus- 
picion, and  not  the  less,  because  the  proceedings,  and,  indeed,  all 
the  meetings  of  this  new  Society,  are  set  forth  in  the  public 
papers  with  much  pomp  and  parade ;  at  which  I  am  the  more  dis- 
gusted when  I  compare  it  with  the  simplicity  and  modes  of  the 
old  society ;  the  silent  progress  of  which  I  am  persuaded  is  more 
effectual  towards  the  support  and  propagation  of  religion,  and 
productive  of  more  substantial  good. 

You  must  allow  me  also  to  observe,  that  the  object  of  the  pro- 
posed auxiliary  society  is  not  distinctly  stated,  nor  is  it  explained 
what  purposes  it  is  to  answer,  nor  under  what  rules  to  be  con- 
ducted ;  but  this  is  of  less  importance.  Upon  the  main  question 
I  have  given  my  opinion  decisively,  and  I  hope  clearly,  which  I 


1811]  Controversies.  15 

trust  therefore  will  be  taken  in  good  part,  whatsoever  differences 
of  opinion  there  may  be  between  us. 

I  remain,  &c., 
January  28,  1810/  J.  London. 

In  his  prefatory  note  to  the  Letter,  the  editor  of  that  strongly 
conservative  and  "establishmentarian"  periodical,  The  Anti- 
Jacobin  Review,  says :  "We  feel  particular  satisfaction  in  laying 
the  following  truly  excellent  and  pastoral  letter  of  our  Metropoli- 
tan Bishop  before  our  readers.  The  sentiments  which  it  contains 
are,  we  are  happy  to  say,  perfectly  conformable  with  those  opin- 
ions which  at  various  times  and  on  various  occasions  we  have 
submitted  to  the  public.  Let  sectaries  do  all  the  good  they  may 
feel  disposed  or  able  to  do,  in  the  circulation  of  the  Scriptures; 
and  let  the  members  of  the  Church  of  England  do  the  same ;  but 
no  possible  good  can  accrue  from  the  indiscriminate  union  of  the 
one  with  the  other ;  while  the  evil  effects  attending  such  apparent 
indifference  to  religious  principle  is  culpable  in  itself,  and  mis- 
chievous in  its  consequences."^ 

As  an  indication  of  the  method  of  answering  the  writers  for  the 
Church  in  the  controversy  concerning  the  Bible  Society,  this 
passage  from  an  article  in  The  Edinburgh  Review  upon  "The 
Education  of  the  Poor''  in  accordance  with  the  plea  of  Mr.  Joseph 
Lancaster,  is  significant :  "When  the  question  is  of  educating 
the  poor,  of  erecting  schools — of  erecting  schools  where  all  poor 
children  may  learn  to  read  and  study  their  Bibles — of  forming  an 
institution  which  may  spread  such  seminaries  over  the  Empire, 
and  put  down  ignorance  and  vice  among  those  orders,  where 
ignorance,  most  prevailing  has  planted  the  chief  nursery  of 
crimes — those  alarmists  step  forward  and  bid  us  pause.  They 
warn  us  that  we  endanger  their  Church,  if  we  join  with  the  dis- 
senters in  forwarding  the  best  of  good  works — tell  us,  that 
Churchmen  must  only  associate  with  Churchmen  in  promoting 
such  charities,  and  that  Sectaries  must  be  left  to  associate  to- 
gether. The  work  shows  the  motives  that  lead  to  it — its  manifest 
effects.  All  go  for  nothing  if  the  Sectaries  bear  a  part  in  such 
labours  of  love — the  stream  is  polluted  and  must  run  to  mischief. 


1.  Quoted  on  pp.   353-355,  The   Churchman's   Magazine,    September  and 
October,  1810,  Vol.  vii.,  No.  s,  from  The  Anti-Jacobin  Review. 

Dr.  Hobart's  Introductory  Note  will  be  given  in  another  connection. 

2.  The  Churchman's  Magazine,  vii.,  5,  p.  353. 


16  Controversies.  [1811 


So  when  the  project  is  to  disseminate  the  Scriptures  among  the 
poor,  and  among  the  heathen ; — to  diffuse  the  blessings  of  religion 
in  countries  yet  sitting  in  darkness,  and  over  those  classes  of  our 
country  which  have  not  the  means  of  reading  the  Bible — forth 
come  the  same  alarmists  and  require  that  no  friend  of  the  Church 
shall  join  with  Sectaries  in  such  an  indiscriminate  exercise  of 
charity ;  that  no  man  who  values  the  Establishment,  shall  be  acces- 
sory to  distributing  Bibles  unless  with  the  Scriptures  there  shall 
be  circulated  the  Articles,  the  Catechism,  the  Liturgy,  and  all 
those  formulas  of  the  Establishment,  which  no  conscientious  dis- 
senter can  have  any  hand  in  diffusing.  Tests  are  the  delight  of 
these  holy  bigots ;  and  no  work  of  charity  is  pleasing,  or  even  tol- 
erable, in  their  eyes,  unless  it  is  strictly  confined  to  the  members 
of  their  own  body,  by  the  imposition  of  terms  which,  however 
great  his  love  of  charity  may  be,  no  Dissenter  can  possibly  com- 
ply with."' 

In  a  note  the  essayist  says :  "The  analogy  here  stated  between 
the  two  questions  of  Lancaster  Schools  and  the  Bible  Society  is 
too  striking  to  escape  any  reader :  the  same  persons  have  accord- 
ingly taken  part  in  each  discussion, — if  discussion  we  can  call  it, 
where  all  the  argument  lies  on  one  side."^ 

He  also  commends  the  "Letter"  of  the  Rev.  William  Dealtry 
to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Wordsworth,  as  "one  of  the  ablest  and  most  sat- 
isfactory pieces  that  we  have  ever  seen,  and  only  unfortunate  in 
the  unequal  force  with  which  it  has  to  contend."^ 

The  literature  of  the  controversy  is  large,  and  many  eminent 
men  engaged  in  it  on  both  sides.  Several  of  the  writers  viewed 
the  subject  from  a  political  rather  than  a  religious  point  of  view. 

The  Church  of  England  was  the  bulwark  of  the  Constitution, 
and  non-conformity  was  an  attacking  force  to  wrest  from  the 
Church  her  pre-eminence  and  power  in  the  nation.  It  is  to  be 
remembered  that  the  early  years  of  the  last  century  were  full  of 
excitement,  wars  and  threatened  invasion  kept  Englishmen  in  a 
state  of  perpetual  anxiety,  and  dread. 

The  intrigues  of  parties  and  factions  made  any  progress  toward 
better  social  conditions  or  the  systematic  elevation  of  the  peas- 

1.  The  Edinburgh  Review,  November,  i8n.  Volume  xix.,  No.  xxxvii., 
p.  38. 

2.  The  Edinburgh  Review,  November  1811    (American  reprint)    Note,  p.  39. 

3.  Ibid. 


1809]  Churches  in  New  York.  17 

antry  and  Commoners  by  a  more  general  extension  of  knowledge 
whether  secular  or  religious,  exceedingly  difficult.  It  shows  then 
the  triumph  of  religion  over  the  petty  affairs  of  the  period,  that 
the  Societies  organized  at  that  time  did  not  languish  but  advanced 
with  steady  tread  until  opposition  was  overcome,  and  their  suc- 
cess became  a  part  of  the  glory  of  England. 

After  this  brief  survey  of  religious  thought  in  England  let  us 
see  what  the  religious  outlook  was  in  New  York  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  nineteenth  century. 

The  mother  parish  of  Trinity  having  already  its  two  chapels  of 
St.  Paul's  and  St.  George's,  had  found  it  necessary  to  build 
another  chapel  in  the  upper  part  of  the  city,  St.  John's  Chapel, 
the  foundation  of  which  was  laid  in  1803.  Christ  Church,  the 
first  independent  parish,  was  extending  its  usefulness  under  a 
new  Rector,  the  Rev.  Thomas  Lyell.  The  ancient  site  of  Gov- 
ernor Stuyvesant's  Chapel  in  his  "Bouwerie"  was  now  occupied 
by  St.  Mark's  Church  with  Dr.  Harris  as  Rector.  The  venerable 
Church  of  the  Huguenot  refugees,  "L'  Eglise  du  Saint  Esprit," 
with  its  minister,  the  Rev.  Pierre  Antoine  Albert,  and  its  congre- 
gation conformed  in  1804  to  the  doctrine,  discipline,  and  worship 
of  "the  Protestant  Episcopal .  Church  in  the  United  States  of 
America."  St.  Stephen's  Church  was  built,  in  1805,  in  Chrystie 
street,  for  the  accommodation  of  the  rapidly  growing  population 
of  the  east  side.  At  Bloomingdale,  then  adorned  with  the  country 
seats  of  many  gentlemen  of  the  city,  St.  Michael's  Church  was 
built  in  1806,  to  whom  the  Rev.  John  V.  Bartow  ministered.  In 
1806  Grace  Church  was  erected,  where  once  had  stood  the  Luth- 
eran Church,  on  the  corner  of  Broadway  and  Rector  street,  imme- 
diately south  of  Trinity  Church,  and  Dr.  Nathaniel  Bowen  be- 
came its  rector  in  1809. 

To  the  parochial  clergy  must  be  added  the  genial  and  polished 
Dr.  Bowden,  who  had  refused  the  Episcopate  of  Connecticut, 
and  was  professor  of  Moral  Philosophy  in  Columbia  College ;  and 
the  versatile  Dr.  Edmund  Barry,  a  teacher  of  unusual  success 
and  force  of  character. 

The  assistants  to  the  Bishop  in  administration  of  Trinity 
Church,  Dr.  John  Henry  Hobart,  the  Rev.  Cave  Jones,  and  the 
Rev.  Thomas  Y.  How,  were  all  strong  men;  but  it  soon  became 
evident  that  the  ardent  enthusiasm  of  Dr.  Hobart,  with  his  facil- 
ity for  making  and  keeping  friends,  was  rapidly  gaining  for  him 
(2) 


18        Bible  and  Common  Prayer-Book  Society.    [1809 

the  leadership  in  the  city  among  both  clergy  and  laity.  His  cor- 
respondence even  in  the  earlier  years  of  his  residence  was  widely 
extended,  and  he  was  consulted  by  many  clergy  and  laymen  upon 
ecclesiastical,  religious  and  moral  topics.  While  others  were 
thinking  of  plans  for  the  benefit  of  the  Church,  he  was  putting 
them  into  effect. 

It  is  then  no  reflection  upon  the  other  clergy  of  the  city  to  give 
to  the  young  priest  of  thirty- four  the  honour  of  suggesting  the 
first  general  society  for  the  distribution  of  the  Bible  with  the 
Book  of  Common  Prayer. 

His  pupil  and  friend,  the  Rev.  John  McVickar,  says : 

"In  1809  was  established  the  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book 
Society  of  New  York,  the  earliest  association  it  is  believed  with 
the  exception  of  the  Bible  Society  of  Philadelphia  for  the  distri- 
bution of  the  Scriptures  in  our  country.  Of  it  Bishop  Moore  was 
ex-officio  President,  and  all  the  clergy  managers ;  but  it  is  doing 
injustice  to  none  to  say  that  Mr.  Hobart  was  the  originator  and 
soul  of  the  association."^ 

Every  step  was  carefully  taken,  the  principles  of  the  Church 
were  to  be  upheld  not  only  by  the  voice  of  her  authorized  minis- 
try, but  by  her  chosen  Book  of  Common  Prayer. 

The  Meeting  for  Organization  was  held  early  in  1809.  It  was 
undoubtedly  attended  by  representative  Churchmen.  There  seems 
to  be  no  minute  of  that  primary  gathering,  but  we  learn  both 
from  the  Churchman  Magazine  of  April  and  May,  1809,  and 
from  the  opening  pages  of  the  first  Minute  Book  of  the  Society 
that  a  Board  of  Managers  was  elected  to  serve  until  the  first 
annual  Election,  and  a  Constitution  was  adopted.  The  Constitu- 
tion reads  as  follows : 

1.  Every  person  who  pays  two  dollars  at  the  time  of  subscrib- 
ing, and  five  dollars  annually  afterwards,  shall  be  a  Member  of 
the  Society.  The  payment  of  fifty  dollars,  or  more  at  the  time  of 
subscribing,  shall  entitle  a  person  to  be  a  member  for  life,  without 
any  further  contribution. 

2.  The  contributions,  at  the  time  of  subscribing,  with  such 
donations  as  may  be  received  from  benevolent  individuals,  shall 
be  the  permanent  fund  of  the  Society,  and  not  subject  to  dis- 


I.    The  Early  Life  and  Professional  Years  of  Bishop  Hobart.     By  John 
McVickar,  D.D.    p.  286. 


1809]  Meeting  for  Organization.  19 

bursement.  The  interest  of  the  permanent  fund,  with  the  annual 
contributions,  shall  be  appropriated  to  the  purchase  and  distribu- 
tion of  Bibles,  and  Common  Prayer  Books,  and  when  deemed 
expedient,  of  religious  tracts. 

3.  The  business  of  the  Society  shall  be  conducted  by  a  Board  of 
Managers,  consisting  of  the  Clergy  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church  resident  in  the  City  of  New  York,  and  of  ten  Laymen,  to 
be  chosen  annually  by  ballot,  by  the  members  present,  on  the 
first  Tuesday  after  the  24th  of  February,  the  festival  of 
St.  Matthias.  The  Bishop  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church 
in  the  diocese  of  New  York  shall  be  President  of  the 
Society,  and  of  the  Board  of  Managers,  and  in  his  absence,  a 
Chairman  shall  be  appointed.  The  Board  of  Managers  shall 
meet  on  the  day  after  the  annual  meeting,  to  choose  from  their 
own  number  a  Secretary  and  a  Treasurer,  and  shall  meet  after- 
wards according  to  their  own  rules.  Seven  of  the  Man- 
agers shall  constitute  a  quorum  to  do  business.  The  Board  of 
Managers  shall  make  all  laws  necessary  for  the  government  of 
the  Society,  and  shall  cause  a  statement  of  the  receipts  and  ex- 
penditures of  Money  with  such  other  matters  as  they  may  deem 
proper  to  be  laid  before  the  Members  of  the  Society  at  the  annual 
meetings. 

4.  On  the  day  of  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Society,  or  on  some 
other  day  to  be  fixed  by  the  President  or  Chairman,  the  Morning 
or  Evening  Prayer  shall  be  celebrated,  and  a  suitable  Sermon 
preached,  after  which  a  collection  shall  be  made,  to  be  appropri- 
ated to  the  funds  of  the  Society.  The  Preacher  shall  be  appointed 
at  the  first  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Managers,  subsequent  to  the 
annual  meeting,  by  the  Bishop,  or  in  case  of  his  absence,  by  their 
chairman.  And,  the  Bishop  or  Chairman,  shall  also  appoint  the 
time  and  place  of  Service,  of  both  which,  as  well  as  of  the  annual 
meeting,  public  notice  shall  be  given  by  the  Secretary. 

5.  The  Constitution  of  the  Society  shall  be  unalterable,  except 
by  a  vote  of  two-thirds  of  the  Board  of  Managers,  and  a  concur- 
rent vote  of  two-thirds  of  the  Members  of  the  Society  present  at 
the  Annual  Meeting. 

The  Board  of  Managers  were : 

President,  The  Right  Rev.  Benjamin  Moore,  D.D.,  Bishop  of 
the  Diocese. 


20  First  Board  of  Managers.  [1809 


Managers.  The  Clergy  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in 
the  City  of  New  York,  who  were  at  that  date : 

The  Right  Reverend  Samuel  Provoost,  D.D. 

The  Right  Reverend  Benjamin  Moore,  D.D. 

The  Reverend  Edmund  D.  Barry,  Principal  of  the  Episcopal 
Academy. 

The  Reverend  John  Vanderbilt  Bartow,  Deacon  of  St.  Mich- 
ael's Church.  Bloomingdale. 

The  Reverend  Abraham  Beach,  D.D.,  Assistant  Minister, 
Trinity  Church. 

The  Reverend  Nathaniel  Bowen,  Rector,  Grace  Church. 

The  Reverend  John  Henry  Hobart,  Assistant  Minister,  Trinity 
Church, 

The  Reverend  Thomas  Yardley  Plowe,  Assistant  Minister, 
Trinity  Church. 

The  Reverend  Cave  Jones,  Assistant  Minister,  Trinity  Church. 

The  Reverend  Thomas  Lyell,  Rector,  Christ  Church, 

The  Reverend  Richard  Channing  Moore,  D,D,,  Rector  of  St. 
Stephen's  Church, 

The  Reverend  William  Smith,  D.D, 
Laity: 

Gen,  Matthew  Clarkson, 

Henry  Rogers. 

Thomas  Harvey, 

George  Dominick. 

Jacob  Ee  Roy. 

William  Bayard. 

John  Onderdonk. 

David  B,  Ogden, 

John  Slidell. 

Gulian  Ludlow, 

The  first  regular  meeting  of  the  Board  was  held  in  Trinity 
Church  on  April  14,  1809.  It  appears  from  these  minutes  that 
at  the  previous  meeting,  Mr,  Slidell  had  been  chosen  Treasurer, 
but  on  his  declining  to  serve,  Mr,  Gulian  Ludlow  was  elected. 

At  this  first  meeting  there  were  present  the  "Rev,  Dr,  Hobart, 
Rev.  Mr.  Jones,  Rev,  Mr,  Howe,  Mr.  George  Dominic,  Mr. 
Gulian  Ludlow,  Dr.  John  Onderdonk,  Mr.  Henry  Rogers,  David 
B.  Ogden,  Esq.,  Mr.  Thomas  Harvey,  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Lyell. 


1809]  First  Meeting  in  Trinity  Church.  21 

"The  Bishop  being  absent  in  consequence  of  indisposition  of 
body,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Hobart  was  appointed  Chairman."     (Page  2.) 

We  transcribe  the  account  of  the  transactions  of  this  first  re- 
corded meeting: 

A  letter  was  received  from  Mr.  John  SHdell  declining  the 
appointment  of  Treasurer  of  the  Society  and  enclosing  a  dona- 
tion of  $10,  in  addition  to  his  annual  subscription  as  a  member 
of  the  Society;  whereupon  Mr.  Gulian  Ludlow  was  by  ballot 
appointed  to  that  office. 

Resolved,  that  a  Committee  consisting  of  four  of  the  Clergy, 
and  four  of  the  Laity  be  appointed  to  solicit  dona,tions  for  the 
Society,  and  that  the  Rev.  Dr.  Hobart,  Rev.  Mr.  Jones,  Rev.  Mr. 
Howe,  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Lyell  of  the  Clergy;  and  Mr.  Henry 
Rogers,  Mr.  Thomas  Harvey,  Gen.  M.  Clarkson,  Mr.  Jacob  Le 
Roy  of  the  Laity  compose  that  Committee. 

Resolved,  That  the  Secretary  be  authorized  to  employ  some 
person  to  circulate,  as  soon  as  possible,  through  the  congregations 
of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  this  City,  the  Constitution 
of  the  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society. 

Resolved,  That  a  Committee  be  appointed  to  draw  up  rules 
and  regulations  for  the  government  of  the  Society,  and  that  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Jones,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Howe,  and  Dr.  John  Onderdonk 
compose  that  Committee. 

Resolved,  That  the  Secretary  be  authorized  to  procure  a  Book 
in  which  to  record  the  proceedings  of  the  Society,  and  to  furnish 
himself  with  blank  notices  for  calling  meetings  of  the  members 
of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Society. 

"Adjourned  till  the  fourth  Wednesday  in  May,  half  past  11 
o'clock  A.  M. 

An  address,  probably  written  by  Dr.  Hobart,  appears  in  the 
Churchman's  Magazine  for  March  and  April,  1809.  It  deserves 
to  be  perpetuated  not  only  for  its  soundness  and  common  sense, 
but  because  it  anticipated  in  its  arguments  much  of  the  objec- 
tions afterwards  raised  against  the  need  of  such  a  Society. 
It  is  prefaced  with  this  note:  "In  imitation  of  the  Bible 
Society  of  Philadelphia,  the  Managers  of  the  following  Society 
are  taken  from  the  city  of  New  York,  for  the  obvious  purpose  of 
ensuring  their  ready  and  punctual  co-operation.    The  benefits  of 


22  Address.  [1809 

this  institution  are  designed  to  extend  throughout  the  country, 
and  we  therefore  recommend  it  to  general  patronage." 

Address. 

To  prove  the  utihty  of  a  society  for  distributing  the  Bible 
and  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  it  can  only  be  necessary  to  sug- 
gest the  importance  of  these  volumes,  and  to  state  the  fact,  that 
many  from  poverty,  or  other  causes,  are  destitute  of  them.  The 
duty  of  establishing  means  for  their  distribution  will  be  an  obvi- 
ous consequence. 

The  Bible  claims  veneration  as  the  oldest  History  extant: 
containing  an  account  of  the  origin  and  destination  of  man,  and 
of  many  other  interesting  facts,  for  which  we  search  in  vain 
among  uninspired  records.  Tracing  the  events  of  the  early  ages 
of  the  world,  it  unfolds  to  us  the  laws,  policy,  and  history,  of  a 
people,  who  were  established  by  the  miraculous  agency  of  the 
Most  High;  and  who  still  remain,  amidst  the  ruins  of  contem- 
porary empires,  a  monument  of  his  power,  and  a  striking  evi- 
dence of  the  divine  character  of  that  volume  which  predicted 
their  varying  fortunes,  and  their  present  unparalleled  condition. 

The  series  of  Prophecy  laid  open  to  us  in  the  Bible  renders 
it  still  further  an  object  of  the  highest  veneration.  The  charac- 
ter and  fate  of  individuals,  the  rise  and  fall  of  nations,  were 
clearly  delineated  in  the  sacred  volume,  long  before  they  appeared 
on  the  stage  of  the  world.  And  one  most  interesting  personage, 
predicted  in  the  beginning  as  the  Saviour  of  fallen  man,  occupied 
the  strains  of  prophecy  until  his  glorious  manifestation  in  the 
flesh.  Then  the  Church  which  he  established  became  the  theme  of 
prophetic  inspiration,  displaying  its  history,  and  the  important 
changes  of  the  world,  subservient  to  it,  until  the  final  period 
when  its  militant  state  shall  be  exchanged  for  its  triumphant  state 
in  heaven. 

In  all  the  events  and  characters  recorded  or  predicted  in  the 
sacred  volume,  man  is  intimately  concerned.  For  its  distinguish- 
ing excellence  and  authority  consist,  in  its  being  the  Revelation 
OF  THE  Will  of  God.  From  it  is  derived  whatever  portion  of 
religious  truth  adorns  the  pages  of  that  philosophy  which  is 
sometimes  set  up  in  opposition  to  it.  In  the  Bible  alone  we  find 
revealed  the  consoling  truth,  that  "God  is  in  Christ  reconciling 


1809]  Address.  23 

the  world  unto  himself;"  in  it  alone  are  "life  and  immortality 
brought  to  light."  What  ever  view,  therefore,  we  take  of  the 
Bible,  it  commands  our  highest  reverence,  and  our  implicit  faith. 
For  "there  is  depth  enough  therein  to  exercise  the  wise,  and 
plainness  enough  to  instruct  the  weak."  And,  still  more  justly 
to  characterize  it,  in  the  words  of  an  eminent  scholar,^  who  de- 
voted to  it  his  most  serious  attention — "It  has  God  for  its  author, 
salvation  for  its  end,  and  truth  without  any  mixture  of  error  for 
its  matter." 

These  are  excellencies  of  the  sacred  volume  familiar  to  Chris- 
tians, and  which,  to  be  duly  appreciated,  require  only  to  be  men- 
tioned. But  are  those  Christians  who  revere  their  Bible  as  bear- 
ing the  stamp  of  divine  authority,  and  cherish  it  as  the  only  basis 
of  their  immortal  hopes,  aware  that  there  are  numbers  wholly 
ignorant  of  its  truths?  Such  is  the  lamentable  fact.  Many  are 
the  abodes  of  wretchedness,  which  no  light  of  consolation  from 
this  divine  volume  cheers.  Many  are  the  receptacles  of  vice, 
which  neither  the  judgments  of  God  revealed  in  the  Bible  alarm, 
nor  his  blessed  promises  of  mercy  to  repenting  sinners  console. 
Not  a  few  of  those  who  disturb  by  their  passions  or  their  crimes 
the  peace  of  society,  have  never  learnt  from  their  Bible  to  obey 
every  lawful  "ordinance  of  man  for  the  Lord's  sake" ;  and  to 
practise  those  virtues  of  sobriety,  contentment,  and  humility, 
which  are  essential  to  the  preservation  of  civil  order.  Friends  of 
your  country !  Christians !  the  temporal  interests  of  your  fellow 
men,  their  immortal  welfare  demand  that  you  exert  your  efforts 
to  disseminate  among  them  the  knowledge  of  God's  revealed  will. 

And  next  to  the  Bible,  which  contains  this  revealed  will,  those 
who  have  established  this  Society  have  been  accustomed  to  revere 
the  Book  of  Common  Prayer.  This  book,  containing  much  of 
the  pious  sentiment  and  language  which  animated  primitive  mar- 
tyrs, and  in  which  they  poured  forth  to  their  God  and  Saviour, 
their  prayers  and  praises,  was  compiled  by  the  care  and  labour  of 
the  Fathers  of  the  Reformation  in  the  Church  of  England.  Uni- 
versally admired  for  its  simplicity  and  its  pathos,  it  is  acknowl- 
edged even  by  many  who  reject  it,  to  be  an  affecting  and  correct 
display  of  evangelical  doctrine,  and  to  breathe  the  pure  emotions 
of  the  devout  soul.  What  better  method  then  can  be  adopted  to 
disseminate  the  truths  of  the  Bible,  than  by  dispersing  a  book 

I.    Locke. 


24  Address.  [1809 

which,  exhibiting  these  tmths  in  the  affecting  language  of  devo- 
tion, impresses  them  on  the  heart  as  well  as  on  the  understand- 
ing? 

Is  this  book  in  the  hands  of  all  who  value  it?  The  contrary  is 
the  fact.  The  clergy  in  the  city  are  often  applied  to  by  their  poor 
parishioners,  for  a  Book  of  Common  Prayer.  Many  also  prize  it, 
and  would  improve  it  as  a  gift,  who  will  not  go  to  the  expense  of 
purchasing  it.  These  remarks  are  obviously  more  applicable  to 
parishes  in  the  country,  particularly  to  those  which  are  forming 
in  new  settlements.  From  these  quarters  the  calls  are  frequent 
for  this  admirable  summary  of  evangelical  truth. 

The  importance  and  duty  of  advancing  Christian  knowledge, 
by  the  dissemination  of  Bibles,  Common  Prayer  Books,  and  relig- 
ious tracts,  have  been  long  confessed  among  Christians  generally, 
and  particularly  in  Great  Britain.  There,  large  sums  of  money 
are  annually  expended  in  promoting  these  objects.  In  a  new 
country,  it  is  of  immense  consequence,  even  in  a  civil  point  of 
view,  that  religious  and  moral  principle  should  keep  pace  with 
the  increase  of  population  and  wealth.  In  regard  to  the  eternal 
interests  of  man,  the  importance  of  this  truth  rises  above  all  cal- 
culation. 

Christians !  your  sympathy  is  often  awakened  for  the  bodies  of 
men.  Have  compassion  on  their  souls.  Minister  to  their  spiritual 
health.  Provide  for  their  eternal  welfare.  At  the  last  day  an 
inquiry  will  be  instituted, — Have  ye  fed  the  hungry?  Have  ye 
clothed  the  naked?  Remember!  a  more  important  inquiry  will 
be, — Have  ye  fed  the  hungry  with  the  bread  of  life?  Have  ye 
clothed  the  naked  with  the  garments  of  salvation  ? 

The  earnest  prayer  is  offered  to  him  who  holds  in  his  hands  the 
hearts  of  all  men,  that  he  would  dispose  Christians  to  aid  an  insti- 
tution, humbly  devoted  to  his  glory,  with  the  means  of  perma- 
nently and  extensively  diffusing  the  knowledge  of  his  word.^ 

1.    Vol.  VI.,  No.  2,  p.  154  et  seq. 


CHAPTER  II. 

CONTENTS. 

The  Intellectual  Activity  of  the  Eighteenth  Century — A  Century  Re- 
markable for  the  Great  Foundations  it  Laid  —  Danger  of  French  and 
German  Rationalism  —  Necessity  of  Grounding  the  Children  of  the  Church 
in  Her  Distinctive  Principles  —  Controversy  over  the  Foundation  of  the 
Bible  Society  Arouses  the  S.  P.  G.  and  S.  P.  C.  K.  to  more  Vigorous 
Action  —  Foundation  of  the  National  Society  for  Promoting  the  Education 
of  the  Poor  in  the  Principles  of  the  Established  Church  Throughout  England 
and  Wales  —  Effect  of  English  Religious  Activity  Immediately  Felt  in 
America  —  Foundation  of  the  Society  for  the  Promotion  of  Religion  and 
Learning  —  Liberality  of  Corporation  of  Trinity  Church  —  The  Society 
Prints  Nelson's  Fasts  and  Festivals  and  D'Aubeny's  Guide  to  the  Church  — 
Circulates  Tracts  on  the  Prayer-Book  —  Foundation  in  Connecticut  of 
Society  for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge  and  Learning — Organized  at 
New  Haven,  October,  1808  —  First  Society  in  America  for  Free  Distribution 
of  the  Prayer-Book  —  Letters  from  John  H.  Jacocks  to  Bishop  Hobart  — 
Constitution  and  Bye  Laws  of  the  Bible  Society  Established  at  Philadelphia 
—  First  Board  of  Managers  —  First  Address  —  Its  Success  —  Donation  to 
It  from  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  —  Meeting  of  Board  of 
Managers  of  the  B.  &  C.  P.  B.  Society  in  New  York,  May  31,  1809  —  Issues 
An  Appeal  —  Meeting  of  February  14,  1810  —  Sermon  by  Bishop  Moore. 

TERRIBLE  as  were  the  moral  and  social  conditions  in 
England  at  the  opening  of  the  eighteenth  century,  it 
must  not  be  forgotten  that  it  was  a  century  remark- 
able for  great  intellectual  achievements.  It  was  a 
century  which  saw  the  foundation,  not  only  of  great  relig- 
ious societies,  as  we  have  seen  in  our  last  chapter,  but  of 
other  institutions,  and  which  witnessed  the  first  beginning  of 
the  wonderful  mechanical  inventions  which  so  affected  social, 
economic,  and  religious  conditions  of  the  masses  in  England  and 
America  during  the  nineteenth  century.  Without  glancing  at 
other  countries,  let  us  see  what  England  and  America  achieved 
in  that  century. 

The  first  year  of  the  eighteenth  century  saw  the  founding  of 
Yale  College.  In  1721  Thomas  Guy  founded  the  great  hospital 
in  London  which  still  bears  his  name.    In  1737  the  Radcliffeian 

25 


26  Intellectual  Activities.  [1760 

Medical  Library  at  Oxford  was  founded.  Three  years  later  the 
Foundling  Hospital  was  established,  and  thirty-four  years  after- 
ward the  Royal  Humane  Society  was  instituted.  In  1751  the 
Antiquarian  Society  was  founded,  and  two  years  after  the  nation 
accepted  the  bequest  of  Sir  Hans  Sloane  which  was  the  founda- 
tion of  the  British  Museum.  In  1762  the  American  Philosophi- 
cal Society  was  established  at  Philadelphia.  The  "Daily 
Courant,"  the  first  daily  newspaper  published  in  England,  ap- 
peared in  1709,  ten  years  after  the  Clarendon  Press  was  founded 
at  Oxford.  In  1744  William  Ged  invented  the  stereotype  and 
printed  an  edition  of  Sallust  from  plates.  The  first  American 
Bible  was  printed  in  Philadelphia  in  1782,  and  in  1788  the  Lon- 
don "Times"  was  founded  by  John  Walters.  In  the  field  of 
research  and  invention,  the  century  saw  the  introduction  of  the 
atmospheric  engine  by  Newcomen,  and  a  silk-throwing  machine 
by  Sir  Thomas  Lombe  containing  26,586  wheels  put  in  motion  by 
one  water  wheel ;  the  discovery  of  the  aberration  of  light  by 
James  Bradley;  and  of  oxygen  by  Priestly;  the  granting  of  a 
patent  to  Jonathan  Hulls  for  the  first  idea  of  steam  navigation; 
the  awards  by  the  Government  of  £20,000  to  Harrison  for  his 
chronometer,  and  of  £1,200  to  Henry  Greathead  for  his  life-boat; 
the  improvement  on  Necomen's  steam  engine  by  James  Watt  by 
the  condensation  of  steam  in  a  vessel  separate  from  the  cylinder; 
the  invention  of  the  spinning- Jennie  by  James  Hargreaves;  a 
telegraph  system  discovered  by  Lovell  Edgeworth;  the  improve- 
ment on  Hargreaves'  spinning-jennie  by  Arkwright;  the  inven- 
tion of  the  mule- Jennie  by  Samuel  Crompton ;  the  discoveries  by 
Benjamin  Franklin ;  the  composition  of  water  discovered  by  Cav- 
endish ;  the  first  use  of  coal  gas  for  illuminating  purposes,  and 
gas  lights  actually  introduced  in  London  and  Westminster  by 
Boulton  and  Watt.  Herschel  discovered  Uranus  and  the  ten 
satellites  of  Saturn  and  completed  his  great  telescope.  The  cen- 
tury did  not  close  before  Jenner  had  introduced  vaccination 
against  the  small-pox  scourge,  nor  before  John  Howard  and 
Elizabeth  Fry  had  reformed  the  horrible  prisons  of  England. 

Anson,  Cook  and  Vancouver  had  circumnavigated  the  world. 
Sir  Christopher  Wren  had  lived  to  see  St.  Paul's  Cathedral  com- 
pleted, Handel  had  written  his  oratorios,  Reynolds  and  Kneller 
had  given  us  their  canvasses,  Blackstone  his  commentaries,  Cru- 
den  his  Concordance,  Samuel  Johnson  his  great  dictionary,  and 


1800]  The  Free  Bible.  27 

a  work  very  dissimilar  but  fruitful  in  world-wide  results  had  been 
begun  and  completed  by  Diderot  and  D'Alembert,  the  "Encyclo- 
pedie,"  mentioned  here  owing  to  its  great  influence  on  English 
and  American  thought.  The  list  cannot  be  complete  without  the 
mention  of  such  names  as  Isaac  Newton,  Edmund  Halley,  James 
Bradley,  David  Hartley,  John  Smeaton,  William  Whiston,  John 
Woodward,  Adam  Smith,  David  Hume,  Joseph  Butler.  Edward 
Gibbon,  Richard  Bentley,  Daniel  Waterland,  Bishop  Berkeley, 
DeFoe,  Addison,  Steele,  Gibber,  Pope,  Swift,  and  Goldsmith. 
Marlborough  ended  his  career,  and  Nelson  and  Wellington  were 
on  the  eve  of  their  crowning  victories  of  Trafalgar  and  Waterloo. 
Wesley  and  Whitefield  had  accomplished  their  life's  task.  A  new 
nation  had  been  born,  and  the  death  of  its  Founder  closed  the 
century,  passing  away  on  December  14,  1799. 

The  American  Church  had  won. its  Episcopate  and  was  cau- 
tiously feeling  its  way  amid  a  nationality  inclined  to  misjudge  it. 

The  century  was  one  of  great  beginnings,  and  it  will  be  seen 
from  this  very  brief  list  of  its  achievements  one  of  remarkable 
intellectual  activity.  With  the  dawn  of  the  nineteenth  century 
came  the  free  Bible.  Tt  came  as  a  revelation.  Men  and  women 
received  the  gift  with  a  joy  which  we  cannot  comprehend  in  these 
days.  Convicts  and  outcasts  penned  letters  expressing  their 
gratitude  in  the  pathetic  words  that  they  were  thus  "assured  that 
they  were  in  no  wise  cast  out."  The  Bible  Society  we  are  told, 
spent  the  large  sum  of  £6,588  in  distributing  the  Holy  Scriptures 
among  the  prisoners  of  war  captured  during  the  Napoleonic  and 
American  Wars.  The  Roman  Catholic  Church  was  swept  into 
the  current,  it  had  to  provide  the  Bible  for  its  own  people.  In 
1759  the  Pope  permitted  the  Bible  to  be  translated  into  the  lan- 
guages of  the  Roman  Catholic  States;  and  in  1766  the  Italian 
translation  of  the  Bible  was  completed. 

Mr.  Canton,  in  his  interesting  story  of  the  Bible  Society,  says : 

"One  of  the  earliest  grants  of  the  Society  was  a  thousand 
copies  of  the  English  New  Testament  to  Roman  Catholic  Schools 
at  half  the  cost  price.  A  bishop  not  only  authorized  but  recom- 
mended the  admission  of  the  books;  Roman  Catholic  as  well  as 
Protestant  children  attended  the  Sunday  Schools  opened  in  vari- 
ous places ;  and  in  one  chapel,  after  reading  the  gospel  of  the  day 
from  an  Irish  Testament  the  priest  went  on  to  explain  that  the 
difference  between  the  Roman  Catholic  Testament  and  the  Eng- 


28  French  and  German  Rationalists.  [1811 

lish  and  Irish  Testaments  was  the  difference  between  'four  and 
two,'  and  'two  and  four'  making  six.  Indeed,  in  England  and 
Scotland  as  well  as  well  as  in  Ireland  there  were  priests  who 
availed  themselves  of  the  facilities  offered  by  the  Society  to  pro- 
vide their  schools  with  the  Scriptures;  and  both  on  the  Conti- 
nent and  in  the  United  States  there  were  appearances  which  war- 
ranted the  hope  that  the  Church  of  Rome  would  in  some  measure 
co-operate  in  the  Biblical  movement."     (Page  29.) 

The  attitude  which  Bishop  Hobart  and  Archdeacon  Norris, 
and  that  of  his  friends  took,  was  that  the  time  was  especially 
propitious  for  the  distribution  of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer, 
and  that  as  Churchmen,  they  ought,  while  fully  realizing  the 
value  of  the  free  distribution  of  the  Bible  by  other  Societies,  to 
bend  all  their  energies  to  the  distribution  of  both  books  together. 
They  felt  that  the  Bible  and  Prayer  Book  ought  to  be  side  by  side 
in  every  house.  That  each  book  complemented  and  illustrated 
the  other.  It  was  malicious  to  say  they  wished  to  curtail  the 
distribution  of  free  Bibles ;  on  the  contrary,  they  wanted  to  make 
not  one  gift,  but  two  gifts. 

The  influence  of  the  Encyclopedists  and  of  Voltaire  was  enor- 
mous not  only  in  England,  but  even  more  so  in  this  country, 
where  at  the  close  of  the  War  of  Independence  it  was  considered 
a  compliment  to  their  French  allies  to  ape  French  modes  of 
thought  In  Germany  Wilhelm  Martin  Lebrecht  de  Wette  was 
one  of  the  boldest  oppugners  of  the  divine  element  in  the  Holy 
Scriptures  in  the  opening  years  of  the  nineteenth  century  and 
rapidly  grew  into  prominence  as  one  of  the  foremost  leaders  in 
the  onslaught  against  Revelation. 

Loyal  Churchmen  in  England  speedily  saw  that  the  only  way 
to  counteract  this  destructive  influence  was  to  ground  the  young 
in  the  principles  of  religion  and  in  the  distinctive  doctrines  of 
their  Church. 

The  controversy  over  the  new  Bible  Society  came,  therefore, 
at  the  right  moment.  It  had  the  good  effect  of  arousing  to  more 
vigorous  action  the  Christian  Knowledge  Society  and  the  vener- 
able Propagation  Society.  It  brought  together  Churchmen  in 
retired  districts  for  the  defence  of  the  national  Church  from 
covert  and  open  attack.  A  new  designation,  "Friends  of  the 
Church,"  was  heard,  and  the  agitation  was  a  premonition  of 
the  awakening  that  was  to  take  place  twenty-five  years  later. 


1811]        Foundation  of  the  National  Society.  20 

It  also  banded  together  the  clergymen  and  laymen  of  high  char- 
acter and  large  fortune  for  the  purpose  of  seeing  that  the  children 
of  England  were  educated  properly.  Wednesday,  October  i6, 
1811,  a  meeting  was  held  at  Bow  Church  under  the  presidency 
of  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  Dr.  Charles  Manners-Sutton, 
at  which  was  formed  "A  National  Society  for  Promoting  the 
Education  of  the  Poor  in  the  Principles  of  the  Established  Church 
throughout  England  and  Wales."  For  very  many  years  this 
Society  maintained  schools  in  districts  too  poor  otherwise  to  edu- 
cate their  children,  in  them. 

The  origin  of  the  National  Society  is  to  be  attributed  to  the 
meeting  of  three  friends  at  the  house  of  Joshua  Watson.  The 
resolution  to  attempt  the  great  work  was  shared  first  by  only 
three  counsellors,  John  Bowles,  H.  H.  Norris  and  Joshua  Watson. 
Mr.  Norris  is  well  known  to  American  Churchmen  as  the  friend 
and  confidant  of  Bishop  Hobart.  It  was  a  time  when  much  pub- 
lic attention  had  been  called  to  the  mode  of  organizing  large 
classes  of  children  in  schools  and  using  the  help  of  the  elder  ones 
in  teaching  the  younger,  introduced  by  Dr.  Andrew  Bell  and 
Joseph  Lancaster.  Trifling  as  this  improvement  may  now  appear 
to  those  who  are  familiar  with  it,  the  change  which  it  then 
effected  in  the  general  diffusion  of  the  elements  of  knowledge 
was  something  previously  incalculable,  and  it  is  no  doubtful  mark 
of  the  discernment  of  this  little  knot  of  friends  that  they  saw 
immediately  how  it  could  be  turned  to  the  best  purposes, 

Joshua  Watson  was  the  Treasurer  of  the  National  Society 
from  the  date  of  its  foundation ;  he  watched  over  its  prosperity 
and  efficiency  with  unceasing  and  laborious  care  from  the  begin- 
ning; and  his  interest  in  it  survived  when  after  thirty  years  of 
diligent  service  he  resigned  the  care  of  its  funds  to  other  hands. ^ 

To  understand  the  religious  condition  of  England  at  that  time 
and  the  influence  it  had  upon  benevolent  and  Church  work  in 
America,  a  careful  study  of  the  pamphlets  issued  in  the  discussion 
over  the  Bible  Society  is  essential.'^ 

The  effect  of  the  formation  of  the  English  Societies  upon 
American  religious  activity  was  not  at  once  perceptible.  The 
early  years  of  the  century  were  for  the  American  nation  full  of 


1.  Memoir  of  Joshua  Watson.    Edited  by  Edward  Churton.    pp.  56,  57. 

2.  See  Appendix  for  this  list 


30  The  New  York  Society.  [1802 

political  excitement  and  very  many  persons  in  the  United  States 
were  then  bitterly  incensed  against  England. 

It  was  among  Churchmen  of  New  York  that  the  very  first 
movement  was  made  to  aid  in  the  elevation  of  the  young  men  of 
the  nation,  but  particularly  of  the  State  of  New  York,  by  the 
association  of  prominent  clergymen  and  laymen  into  a  Society 
for  the  Promotion  of  Religion  and  Learning.  Organized  on 
August  1 6,  i8o2,  it  was  soon  after  duly  incorporated.  Primarily, 
its  objects  were  to  aid  young  men  studying  for  the  holy  ministry, 
to  increase  the  number  of  candidates,  to  encourage  such  students 
as  "may  distinguish  themselves  by  extraordinary  attainments," 
"to  receive  all  donations  for  pious  purposes,"  "superintend  the 
application  of  them,"  and  "to  provide  funds  for  procuring  a  The- 
ological Library,  for  the  establishment  of  schools,  and  of  one  or 
more  fellowships  in  Columbia  College." 

The  original  incorporators  were:  The  Rey.  Abraham  Beach, 
D.D.,  the  Rev.  John  Bowden,  D.D.,  the  Rev.  John  Henry  Ho- 
bart,  the  Rev.  Cave  Jones,  the  Rev.  William  Harris,  the  Rev. 
Joseph  Pilmore;  with  John  Charlton,  M.D.,  Mr.  Peter  Kemble, 
Mr.  Robert  Watts,  John  Onderdonk,  M.D.,  Mr.  Frederick  De 
Peyster,  Mr.  Richard  Harison,  Mr.  Jacob  Le  Roy,  Mr.  Francis 
B.  Winthrop,  Gen.  Matthew  Clarkson,  Mr.  Herman  Le  Roy, 
Mr.  William  Jauncey,  Mr.  William  M.  Seton,  Mr.  Martin  Hoff- 
man, and  Mr.  John  Jones. 

With  such  a  wide  scope  for  its  activity  and  with  the  provision 
made  for  its  support  by  the  liberality  of  the  Corporation  of 
Trinity  Church,  the  Society  began  a  prosperous  career.  It  soon 
found  that  the  need  for  the  books  of  instruction  in  Church  prin- 
ciples was  very  great,  and  through  the  firm  of  Thomas  and  John 
Swords  it  provided  at  least  a  portion  of  the  cost  of  printing  such 
safe  and  sound  treatises  as  Daubeny's  "Guide  to  the  Church," 
Nelson's  "Festivals  and  Fasts,"  and  others  which  could  be  widely 
circulated.  It  seems  in  its  early  days  to  have  also  taken  part  in 
the  distribution  of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  in  a  small  and 
convenient  form. 

The  laudable  attempt  of  the  New  York  Society  to  circulate 
tracts  upon  Church  doctrines  as  well  as  the  book  of  Common 
Prayer,  was  soon  supplemented  by  the  formation  by  clergymen 
and  laymen  in  Connecticut  of  a  society  for  promoting  Christian 
Knowledge,  which  intended  to  do  the  same  kind  of  work  as  its 


1808]  The  Connecticut  Society.  31 

great  English  prototype.  Organized  at  New  Haven,  in  October, 
1808,  it  commenced  a  vigorous  and  successful  career.  It  has  the 
distinction  of  being  the  first  Society  in  the  American  Church 
which  had  for  its  avowed  object  the  free  distribution  and  wide 
circulation  of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer.  The  Church  was 
then  daily  gaining  new  adherents  in  Connecticut  who  needed 
instruction  in  her  doctrine  and  method  of  worship.  Many  par- 
ishes were  inadequately  supplied  with  Prayer  Books. 

While  few  particulars  of  the  work  of  the  Society  as  a  volun- 
tary aid  in  the  furtherance  of  the  Church's  work  have  survived, 
these  letters  from  a  zealous  member,  whose  love  for  the  Church 
appears  in  every  line,  show  the  kind  of  literature  it  wished  to 
circulate  among  the  thoughtful  men  of  that  staid  and  conserva- 
tive State.  They  also  confirm  evidence  from  other  sources  that 
many  supporters  of  the  "Standing  Order"  were  inquiring  for  a 
religious  faith  deeper  and  broader  than  the  tenets  in  which  they 
had  been  brought  up. 

New  Haven,  Dec.  22d,   1808. 
Rev.  Dr.  Hobart, 
Dr.  Sir : 

The  Committee  of  publication  of  the  Society  for  the  Promo- 
tion of  Christian  Knowledge,  after  examining  the  work  you  put 
into  my  hands  upon  the  Church  Service,  contemplate  its  republi- 
cation; presuming  from  the  observations  made  to  me  that  you 
will  not  be  displeased  with  their  intention.  You  will  please  make 
such  additions  or  alterations  as  you  may  think  proper;  and  as 
soon  as  convenient  forward  them  to  the  Committee.  You  may 
possibly  believe^  that  the  work  may  be  improved  by  adding  a  few 
remarks  on  the  necessity  of  forms,  and  on  the  inconveniences 
arising  from  extemporary  prayers.  Will  it  be  necessary  to  retain 
that  part  which  treats  which  treats^  of  a  third  or  evening  service  ? 
It  must  be  well  known  to  you  that  an  evening  service  is  not 
attended  in  this  State.  It  is  believed  that  you  will  not  consider 
this  conduct  of  the  Committee  as  presuming  to  dictate  to  Dr. 
H ;  but  rather,  as  a  suggestion,  which  if  regarded,  in  our  opinion, 
would  enhance  its  value,  by  extending  its  circulation  in  our  State. 


1.  Erased  in  original. 

2.  So  in  the  original. 


32  Letters  from  Rev.  J.  H.  Jacocks.  [1809 

They  would  just  state  that  your  Magazine  is  viewed  by  them,  as 
entitled  to  their  warmest  approbation,  and  that  it  shall  receive 
their  utmost  support. 

On  behalf  of  the  Committee, 

Yours  very  respectfully, 

John  H.  Jacocks. 
It  is  well  ascertained  that  about  150  persons,  many  of  them 
wealthy  and  respectable  heads  of  families,  in  various  parts  of  this 
State,  within  2  or  3  months  have  conformed  to  the  Episcopal 
Church.  Yrs.     J.  H.  J. 

New  Haven,  Febmary  27,'    1809. 
March  6, 
Rev.  Dr.  Hobart, 
Dr.  Sir : 

I  wrote  you  a  few  weeks  since  in  behalf  of  the  "Committee 
of  Publication"  requesting  you  to  make  some  additions  to  yr 
work  on  forms  of  prayer,  and  to  leave  out  that  part  of  it  which 
treats  on  a  third  or  evening  service.  The  subject  of  adding  to 
the  work  would  not  have  been  suggested,  had  I  not  understood 
you  as  saying  that  was  your  intention.  As  to  the  Evening  ser- 
vice, the  Committee  presume  you  are  not  anxious  to  have  it 
retained.  They  are  very  willing  to  publish  it  with  the  exception 
just  mentioned,  should  it  meet  your  approbation,  without  any 
additional  remarks.  Will  you  be  good  enough  to  write  us  with- 
out delay,  since  we  are  only  awaiting  yr  answer  previous  to  its 
going  to  the  Press?  In  behalf  of  the  Committee 
I  am  very  respectfully  yr 

obliged  servt 

John  H.  Jacocks. 
Since  writing  you,  instead  of  1 50  persons  chiefly  with  families, 
then  stated  as  having  conformed  to  the  Episcopal  Church  in  this 
State,  within  a  few  months,  it  is  believed  I  may  be  warranted  in 
assuring  you  that  an  addition  of  200  have  followed  their  example. 
There  are  also  in  many  other  Parishes  strong  symptoms  of  disaf- 
fection to  Calvanism ;  which  when  well  grounded  produces  sub- 
stantial converts  to  our  Church.  The  effrontery,  sophistry,  & 
bombast  of  the  meek  Dr.  Mason,  it  may  be  presumed  from  yr 


I.    Erased  in  original. 


1809]  Letters  from  Rev.  J.  H.  Jacocks.  33 

last  Magazine,  now  occupy  yr  attention.  His  comments  on  Jer- 
ome's account  of  Episcopacy,  this  analogical  argument  drawn 
from  a  supposed  enquiry  at  a  future  period,  what  was  the  form 
of  government,  which  the  U.  S.  commenced,  furnish  full  evidence 
of  his  ability  to  sophisticate  &  misrepresent.  But  why  do  we 
talk  of  the  writings  or  sentiments  of  the  Fathers  of  the  Episcopal 
Church,  since  the  unassuming  Doctor  has  absolutely  demonstrated 
that  the  Episcopal  claims  cannot  be  supported  from  the  testimony 
of  Scripture ! !  The  humility,  teachableness  &  self  abasement  of  a 
rigid  Calvanist  are  faithfully  displayed  in  almost  every  page  of 
his  work.  How  delighted  must  be  his  readers  with  his  puns  and 
pure  tvit!  For  instance,  "Thus  endeth  the  first  lesson — Thus 
endeth  the  second  lesson — So  much  for  the  Bishop — Now  let  us 
hear  the  Priest — "  Oh,  how  fine!!  Not  having  his  Magazine 
before  me  I  may  not  have  his  words  in  exact  order;  but  I  have 
done  him  no  injustice —  The  Christians  Magazine  is  read  by 
many  of  our  Presbyterian  Clergy,  because  it  abounds  with  bitter 
invective  against  the  Episcopal  Church ;  but  by  many  of  the  best 
men  of  their  Communion,  for  its  unabated  rancor  &  total  deser- 
tion of  the  Christians  temper  it  is  severely  reprobated.  I  am 
happy  to  see  yr  determination  not  to  pursue  him  in  the  Church- 
man's Magazine.  You  can  fill  it  with  much  more  popular  &  im- 
portant matter;  altho  the  prominent  subject  I  am  sensible  is  of 
the  utmost  consequence.  Controversy  with  such  an  opponent  is 
liable  to  degenerate  'into  personal  altercation. 

It  has  occurred  to  me  that  our  publication  of  the  proposed 
work  may  be  displeasing  to  Mr.  Mesier  &  in  consequence  to  your- 
self.   Should  this  be  the  case  it  is  not  my  wish  to  publish  it. 

With  respect  yr  sert 

John  H.  Jacocks.^ 

It  is  a  curious  fact  that  the  influence  of  the  formation  of  the 
great  Bible  Society  in  England  was  not  perceptibly  felt  even 
among  those  Christian  bodies  who  made  Chillingworth's  aphor- 
ism, "The  Bible  and  the  Bible  only  the  religion  of  Protestants," 
the  basis  of  their  practice  and  profession,  for  more  than  four 
years.  There  is  a  tradition  that  among  the  Baptists  of  New 
York  City  there  was  formed,  in  December,  1804,  a  Bible  Society 


I.    Hobart  Manuscripts,  Archives  of  the  General  Convention. 
(3) 


34  Philadelphia  Bible  Society.  [1808 

upon  the  English  model,  but  there  seems  to  be  no  definite  knowl- 
edge of  it,  and  their  standard  historian.  Dr.  Armitage,  does  not 
mention  it. 

The  first  movement  for  a  Bible  Society  came  from  Philadel- 
phia. Many  of  those  well  known  for  their  religious  integrity, 
their  abundant  philanthropy,  their  social  distinction,  and  national 
reputation,  held  in  the  fall  of  1808  several  meetings  to  devise  a 
plan  for  such  an  institution.  Finally  on  December  12,  1808,  a 
Constitution  and  By-Laws  were  adopted  and  officers  elected. 

The  venerable  Bishop  of  Pennsylvania  accepted  the  presidency. 
On  the  Board  of  Managers  were  Churchmen,  Presbyterians, 
Lutherans,  Moravians  and  members  of  other  "evangelical 
Churches."  It  was  thought  by  those  who  formed  the  Society 
that  all  Christians  could  work  together  harmoniously  in  the  dis- 
tribution of  the  Holy  Scriptures  "without  note  or  comment." 

The  name  adopted  was: 

The  Bible  Society  established  at  Philadelphia. 

The  direction  of  its  affairs  was  entrusted  to  a  Board  of  Man- 
agers, twenty-four  in  number,  including  Churchmen,  Presbyter- 
ians, Lutherans,  Moravians,  and  members  of  other  Evangelical 
Churches. 

The  first  Board  elected  was :  Right  Rev.  William  White,  Rev. 
Dr.  F.  H.  C.  Helmuth,  Ashbel  Green,  Joseph  Pilmore,  William 
Staughton,  James  Gray,  Rev.  Archibald  Alexander,  Thomas 
Ware,  Philip  F.  Mayer,  Samuel  Helfenstein,  Joseph  Zerline, 
Jacob  J.  Janeway,  Dr.  Benjamin  Rush,  Mr.  Edward  Pennington, 
Peter  Van  Pelt,  Robert  Ralston,  George  Krebs,  Lawrence  Seckel, 
William  Shufflebottom,  Thomas  Allibone,  Francis  Marker,  Fred- 
erick Schucker,  Thomas  Montgomery,  Benjamin  B.  Hopkins. 

The  preparation  of  an  address  setting  forth  its  desires  and  aims 
was  among  its  first  acts.  The  diction  is  clear  and  polished  and 
the  argument  for  such  a  society  logical,  and,  from  the  point  of 
view  of  the  writers,  convincing.  These  extracts  give  its  most 
significant  passages.  In  some  of  its  parts  the  well  known  style 
of  Bishop  White  can  be  detected. 

Address  of  the  Bible  Society. 

The  Bible  Society,  established  at  Philadelphia,  solicit  the  seri- 
ous attention  of  the  Christian  public  to  a  short  statement  of  the 


1808]  Address  of  Bible  Society.  36 

origin  and  design  of  their  institution,  and  of  the  consideration 
which  they  hope  for  the  patronage  of  the  pious  and  the  Hberal.  It 
has  been  remarked  that  every  good  action  or  effort  is  valuable, 
not  only  from  its  inherent  excellence  and  immediate  effects,  but 
because  it  may  draw  after  it  a  train  of  beneficial  consequences  of 
endless  extent.  We  hope  this  remark  will  receive  some  confirma- 
tion from  the  existence  of  this  Society.  Its  origin  is  unquestion- 
ably to  be  attributed  to  the  example  offered  and  the  efforts  made 
by  "The  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society"  instituted  in  London 
about  five  years  since.  The  plan  of  that  Society,  now  that  it  is 
delineated  and  carried  into  effect,  is  seen  to  be  so  important,  so 
practicable,  and  productive  of  so  much  good,  that  we  hardly  know 
how  to  account  for  the  fact,  that  it  was  not  sooner  devised  and 
executed.  The  example  thus  set  has  already  been  followed  in 
several  countries  of  Europe,  and  we  trust  will  soon  be  imitated  in 
various  parts  of  these  United  States.  From  the  time  that  it  was 
known  in  this  City,  it  attracted  the  marked  attention  of  several 
persons  accustomed  to  take  an  interest  in  whatever  is  calculated 
to  extend  the  influence  of  revealed  truth.     (Page  3.) 

It  was  immediately  seen  that  the  necessity  for  such  an  institu- 
tion was  the  same  here  as  in  Europe,  and  that  there  was  every 
reason  to  believe  that  if  suitable  exertions  were  made  it  could  not 
fail  of  encouragement.  The  principal  difficulty  was  to  concert  the 
most  promising  plan  for  rendering  the  contemplated  charity  ex- 
tensively useful.  Two  systems  were  deliberately  considered.  One 
was  to  endeavour  to  form  a  large  Association  consisting  of  mem- 
bers selected  from  all  the  States  in  the  American  Union,  to  raise 
a  common  fund,  and  to  distribute  Bibles  in  every  part  of  our 
Country.  The  other  was  to  establish  a  Society  on  a  smaller  scale, 
in  Philadelphia,  the  attention  of  which  should  be  principally 
directed  to  the  State  in  which  the  City  belongs,  and  to  those  por- 
tions of  the  States  of  Jersey  and  Delaware  which  are  contiguous 
to  Pennsylvania'.  The  latter  system,  on  mature  consideration, 
appeared  in  every  view  to  claim  the  preference ;  and  it  has  accord- 
ingly been  adopted.  A  Society  for  the  whole  of  the  United  States 
seemed  liable  to  almost  insuperable  objections.     (Page  5.) 

The  design  of  our  Society  has  been  partially  explained  in 
stating  the  origin.  We  farther  remark  more  particularly  that  it 
is  a  fundamental  Article  of  our  Constitution  that  all  the  copies 
of  the  Bible  which  we  distribute  shall  be  separated  from  all  notes 


36  Address  of  Bible  Society.  [1808 

and  commentaries  whatsoever,  and,  except  the  contents  of  the 
Chapters  shall  contain  nothing  but  the  sacred  text.  It  is  there- 
fore manifestly  a  design  in  which  all  denominations  of  Christians, 
without  exception,  may  unite.  Finally :  As  the  Bibles  to  be  sent 
abroad  by  this  institution  are  purchased  and  distributed  by  an 
extensive  union  of  Christian  denominations,  so  a  blessing  on  the 
use  of  them  will  constantly  be  implored,  in  a  confederacy  of 
earnest  prayer  for  that  end.  This  is  stated  not  only  as  an  ani- 
mating consideration  to  Christians  to  lend  a  portion  of  their 
property  to  the  furtherance  of  a  design  on  which  the  smile  of 
heaven  will  be  thus  generally  and  importunately  sought,  but  to 
remind  every  donor,  and  every  Christian  who  may  read  this 
address,  of  another  and  an  important  duty,  incumbent  on  him- 
self, the  duty  of  preferring  his  fervent  supplications  to  'Him  from 
whom  Cometh  down  every  good  and  perfect  gift,'  that  the  grace 
of  his  Holy  Spirit  may  accompany  the  gift  of  his  word.    (P.  9.) 

It  is  only  by  this  that  our  purpose,  in  the  charity  we  recom- 
mend, can  at  last  be  fully  accomplished.  With  a  zeal  then, 
more  earnest  than  for  any  other  object,  we  beseech  our  fellow 
Christians  to  help  us  with  their  prayers;  their  prayers  that  the 
friends  of  religion  may  cheerfully  supply  us  with  the  means  of 
widely  distributing  the  Holy  Scriptures;  that  we  may  be  su- 
premely influenced  in  all  our  doings  by  a  regard  to  the  Divine 
Glory  and  the  best  interests  of  mankind;  and  that  every  Bible 
which  shall  be  given  through  our  instrumentality,  may  prove  to 
its  possessor  the  word  of  everlasting  life. 

With  these  requests  we  commit  our  address  to  the  candour  of 
the  public;  and  our  undertaking  to  the  protection  and  patronage 
of  Almighty  God. 

Signed  on  behalf  of  the  Society, 

Wm.  White,  President.^ 

The  Society  at  once  met  with  popular  favour,  subscriptions 
were  liberal,  and  as  the  consequence  of  letters  of  Mr.  Robert 
Ralston  to  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  detailing  the 
successive  steps  of  its  organization  that  Society  on  January  16, 


I.  An  Address  of  the  Bible  Society  established  at  Philadelphia  to  the 
Public;  to  which  is  subjoined  the  Constitution  of  the  Society  and  the 
names  of  the  Managers. 


1809]  Committee  Report.  dl 

1809,  made  from  its  funds  a  donation  of  two  hundred  pounds  to 
the  first  Bible  Society  in  the  United  States. 

The  work  done  by  the  managers  of  the  New  York  Society  in 
a  few  weeks  is  shown  in  the  proceedings  of  the  adjourned  meet- 
ing. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Bible  and 
Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  held  in  Trinity  Church  the  31st 
of  May,  1809. 

The  Right  Rev.  Bishop  Moore,  President,  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Jones,  Rev.  Mr.  Howe,  Rev.  Mr.  Chapman,  Rev.  Dr.  Smith, 
Genl.  M.  Clarkson,  Mr.  Henry  Rogers,  Mr.  George  Dominic, 
Dr.  John  Onderdonk,  Mr.  Thomas  Harvey,  &  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Lyell. 

A  letter  was  received  from  the  Treasurer  stating  that  he  had 
received  for  the  Society  Five  hundred  &  Seventy  dollars. 

The  report  of  the  Committee  appointed  to  draw  up  rules  and 
regulations  for  the  government  of  the  Society  was  then  read  and 
adopted,  viz. 

I.  There  shall  immediately,  and  at  every  annual  meeting  of 
the  Board  of  Managers,  be  appointed  by  the  President  a 
Standing  Committee  of  Three  members,  who  together  with 
himself  &  Secretary  shall  carry  on  the  correspondence  of  the 
Society;  make  the  necessary  purchases  &  distribution  of  Books, 
and  aid  and  counsel  the  Treasurer  from  time  to  time  in  putting 
out  at  interest  the  monies  coming  into  the  fund  of  the  Society. 

II.  The  President  shall  call  such  occasional  meetings  of  the 
Board  of  Managers  as  may  be  necessary  for  the  conducting  of 
the  business  of  the  Society,  giving  the  requisite  notice  by  the  Sec- 
retary, or  in  case  of  the  absence  or  death  of  the  President,  the 
Standing  Committee  shall  be  invested  with  the  same  power. 

III.  The  Treasurer  shall  give  such  security  to  the  Board  of 
Managers  every  year,  or  as  often  as  there  is  required,  as  the 
Board  of  Managers  may  judge  sufficient  for  the  faithful  dis- 
charge of  the  trust  reposed ;  and  to  be  reposed  in  him,  and  he  shall 
also,  at  each  meeting  of  the  Board  immediately  preceeding  the 
annual  meeting  of  the  Society,  exhibit  his  accounts  for  their  in- 
spection and  approbation. 

Resolved,  That  The  Right  Rev.  Bishop  Moore,  The  Rev.  Mr. 
Chapman,  The  Rev.  Dr.  Beach,  The  Rev.  Dr.  Richard  C.  Moore, 


88  Committee  Report.  [1810 

and  The  Rev.  Mr.  Bartow  of  the  Clergy,  and  Mr.  Gulian  Ludlow, 
David  B.  Ogden  Esqr,  Dr.  John  Onderdonk,  and  Mr.  George 
Dominic  of  the  Laity  be  added  to  the  Committee  appointed  at  the 
last  meeting  to  solicit  donations  for  the  Society. 

Pursuant  to  the  first  article  of  the  rules  and  regulations  for 
the  government  of  the  Society,  the  President  appointed  The  Rev. 
Mr.  Howe,  Dr.  John  Onderdonk  and  Mr.  Thomas  Harvey,  a 
standing  committee  until  the  next  annual  meeting  who  together 
with  himself  &  Secretary  are  authorized  to  carry  on  the  corre- 
spondence of  the  Society,  make  the  necessary  purchases  &  distri- 
bution of  Books  &  consult  the  Treasurer  from  time  to  time  in 
putting  out  at  interest  the  monies  coming  into  the  fund  of  the 
Society. 

The  Committee  appointed  to  solicit  donations  for  the  Society 
agreed  to  meet  on  Monday  the  5th  of  June  at  6  o'C — P.  M.  in 
Trinity  Chh.  of  which  meeting  the  Secretary  was  directed  to 
notify  them. 

Adjourned.  Tho.  Lyell,  Sec.* 

The  members  of  the  Society,  and  Churchmen  throughout  the 
State,  had  been  so  aroused  by  the  address  and  forcible  appeal  it 
made,  that  the  Society,  at  its  annual  meeting  in  18 10,  was  able  to 
present  an  encouraging  report,  and  from  the  experiences  of  a  year 
devise  a  better  method  of  distribution. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Bible  &  Com- 
mon Prayer  Book  Society,  held  in  Trinity  Church  February  the 
14th,  1810. 

Present,  The  Right  Rev.  Bishop  Moore,  Pres.,  The  Rev.  Mr. 
Jones,  The  Rev.  Mr.  Harris,  The  Rev.  Dr.  Hobart,  The  Rev.  Mr. 
Howe,  Mr.  Gulian  Ludlow,  Mr.  Thomas  Harvey,  Mr.  Henry 
Rogers,  Dr.  John  Onderdonk  &  The  Rev.  Mr.  Lyell. 

Whereas  it  is  represented  to  the  Board  that  the  sum  of  190 
dollars  is  subscribed  to  the  Society  in  Books; — Resolved,  That 
the  Books,  thus  subscribed  be  taken  immediately  for  distribu- 
tion, and  that  the  annual  contributions  be  applied  to  the  perma- 
nent fund  until  that  amount  be  made  up. 

Resolved,  That  the  following  rule  shall  be  observed  by  the 

I.    Page  5. 


1810]  Annual  Meeting.  S9 

Committee  of  distribution,  in  distributing  the  Bibles  &  Common 
Prayer  Books  &  religious  Tracts,  viz.  One  half  of  the  Bibles, 
Common  Prayer  Books,  &  religious  Tracts  to  be  distributed 
equally  among  the  congregations  of  this  Church  in  the  State 
Situated  without  the  City  of  New  York ;  One  fourth  to  be  depos- 
ited with  the  Bishop  for  distribution  in  those  parts  of  the  State, 
which  in  his  opinion  may  stand  most  in  need  of  this  aid,  and  the 
remaining  one  fourth  to  be  deposited  equally  among  the  members 
of  the  Board  of  Managers  to  be  distributed  as  they  may  think 
proper. 

Resolved,  That  the  Bishop  be  requested  to  transmit  several 
copies  of  the  address  and  Constitution  of  this  Society  to  the 
President,  or  one  of  the  vice  presidents  of  the  British  &  Foreign 
Bible  Society,  respectfully  soliciting  the  aid  of  the  said  society  to 
this  institution,  and  stating  that  any  grant  of  money  would  be 
faithfully  appropriated  to  the  purchase  and  distribution  of  Bibles 
only. 

Adjourned.  Tho.  Lyell,  Sec.^ 

The  Annual  Meeting  for  1810  was  held  in  Trinity  Church, 
February  27,  1810.    The  Minutes  read: 

After  reading  the  constitution  of  the  Society,  and  the  pro- 
ceedings of  the  different  meetings  of  the  Board  of  Managers, 
since  its  institution,  The  members  present,  agreeably  to  the  third 
article  of  the  constitution  of  the  Society,  proceeded  to  the  election 
of  Ten  Laymen  who,  together  with  the  Clergy  of  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church  in  the  City  of  New  York,  shall  compose  the 
Board  of  Managers  for  the  ensuing  year, — when  it  appeared  that 
Matthew  Clarkson,  Henry  Rogers,  Thomas  Harvey,  George 
Dominic,  Jacob  Le  Roy,  William  Bayard,  John  Onderdonk, 
David  B.  Ogden,  John  Slidell,  &  Gulian  Ludlow,  were  unani- 
mously chosen. 

On  motion.  Resolved,  That  the  first  article  of  the  constitution 
of  the  Society  be  amended  and  that  five  dollars  annually  instead 
of  two,  be  required  in  future  of  every  person  to  enable  him  to  be 
a  member : — Two  thirds  of  the  members  present  voting  in  the 
affirmative,  it  was  referred,  agreeably  to  the  Fifth  Article  of  the 

I.    Page  7. 


40  Sermon  by  Bishop  Moore.  [1810 

constitution,  to  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Society  for  a  con- 
current vote  of  two  thirds  of  their  body.^ 

Bishop  Moore  had  been  greatly  interested  in  the  development 
of  this  new  agency.  From  his  sermon  preached  at  this  meeting, 
in  Trinity  Church,  on  behalf  of  the  Society,  the  necessity  for 
it  is  plainly  set  forth. 

In  the  course  of  his  argument,  he  says : 

If  we  be  disposed  to  employ  our  time  and  our  estate  for  the 
relief  of  our  wretched  brethren  of  mankind  who  are  labouring 
under  bodily  disease,  or  any  other  temporal  evil ;  with  how  much 
more  readiness  ought  we  to  exert  every  faculty  with  which 
heaven  has  blessed  us,  in  order  to  cure  the  maladies  of  their  souls, 
to  save  them  from  the  wrath  to  come?  If  our  liberality  be  ex- 
erted in  giving  bread  to  the  hungry,  and  clothing  to  the  naked, 
how  much  more  effectually  shall  we  yield  comfort  to  the  poor,  by 
putting  into  their  hands  the  precious  Word  of  God,  and  teaching 
them  to  rely  on  those  consoling  promises,  by  which  they  are 
encouraged  to  hope,  that  the  short  affliction  of  a  moment  may 
work  out  for  them  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of 
glory.  Let  cruel  infidels  attempt  to  wrest  out  of  their  hands  this 
heavenly  support;  but  let  kind-hearted  believers  exhort  them  to 
hold  fast  a  rod  and  a  staff  which  will  sustain  them,  even  when 
they  are  passing  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death. 

The  present  times  demand  extraordinary  exertions,  in  order 
to  enable  the  Word  of  God  to  run  and  be  glorified,  to  dissipate 
the  mists  of  ignorance  and  prejudice,  and  to  warm  the  torpid 
hearts  of  fruitless  professors  with  the  flame  of  vital  piety.  Infi- 
delity, with  equal  art  and  industry,  is  attempting  to  make  inroads 
upon  the  Church  of  Christ.  Be  assured,  while  you  are  contribut- 
ing to  the  support  of  truth  in  opposition  to  error ;  while  you  are 
endeavouring  to  prevail  upon  the  ignorant  to  consider  all  Holy 
Scripture  as  written  for  our  learning,  and  teaching  them  to  pray, 
that  "they  may  in  such  wise  read,  learn,  and  inwardly  digest  them, 
as  to  be  induced  to  embrace  and  ever  hold  fast  the  blessed  hope 
of  everlasting  life" ;  while  you  are  thus  furnishing  an  antidote  to 
the  poison  which  the  infidel  is  diffusing  round  him ;  you  not  only 
discharge  your  duty  as  good  Christians,  but  you  act  the  part  of 
most  useful  members  of  civil  society.    Anarchy,  rapine,  murder, 

I.    Page  9. 


1810]  Sermon  by  Bishop  Moore.  41 

crimes  of  every  sort  decry  Christianity  as  useless  to  mankind; 
because,  with  a  stern  look  and  tremendous  voice,  she  denounces 
against  them  the  judgments  of  Almighty  God;  but  peace  and 
happiness,  truth  and  justice  court  her  influence,  and  perpetually 
hail  her  as  their  best  friend  and  surest  support. 

We,  my  Brethren,  when  contemplating  our  religious  advant- 
ages, may  well  adopt  the  language  of  the  holy  Psalmist,  "The 
lines  are  fallen  unto  us  in  pleasant  places ;  yea,  we  have  a  goodly 
heritage."  We  live  in  the  full  enjoyment  of  all  the  ordinances  of 
our  religion,  while  many  of  our  brethren,  in  the  more  unculti- 
vated parts  of  our  country,  are  not  only  deprived  of  the  blessing 
of  public  social  worship ;  but,  it  is  to  be  feared,  that  many  families 
are  destitute  even  of  a  Bible,  by  which  alone  the  rising  generation 
can  be  best  instructed  in  the  duties  which  they  owe  to  God  and 
their  neighbour.  And  are  you  not  disposed  to  inquire,  "What 
reward  shall  I  give  unto  the  Lord  for  all  his  benefits  bestowed 
upon  me?"  While  ye  are  receiving  the  cup  of  salvation,  and 
drinking  to  the  refreshment  of  our  souls,  let  us  express  our  grati- 
tude by  extending  it  to  others  who  are  fainting  in  the  thirsty 
wilderness  where  no  water  is.^ 

The  resolution  to  alter  the  first  article  of  the  constitution  was 
agreed  to  on  the  special  meeting  held  on  March  3,  1810.     (Folio 

13.) 

At  the  meeting  of  February  28,  18 10,  it  was  Resolved,  that 
the  following  be  added  to  the  Bye-Laws,  viz :  There  shall  be  a 
meeting  of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Society,  on  the  Wed- 
nesday in  the  week  preceeding  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Society, 
when  the  standing  Committee  shall  lay  before  the  Board  a  state- 
ment of  their  proceedings  during  the  past  year. 

Whereas  a  vote  of  two  thirds  of  the  whole  number  of  the 
Board  of  Managers  together  with  a  concurrent  vote  of  two  thirds 
of  the  members  of  the  Society  present  at  the  Annual  Meeting  is 
necessary  to  alter  the  Constitution  of  the  Society ;  and  that  num- 
ber of  the  Board  of  Managers  not  being  present;  Resolved  that 
a  special  meeting  be  called  for  that  purpose,  to  meet  in  Trinity 
Church  on  Saturday  evening,  the  3rd  of  March  at  7  o'clock  p.  m. 

1.  A  Sermon  Preached  before  the  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book 
Society  of  New  York,  in  Trinity  Church,  February  27,  1810;  and  published 
at  the  request  and  for  the  benefit  of  the  same.    By  Benjamin  Moore,  D.D. 


42  Various  Resolutions.  [1810 

Resolved,  that  the  first  article  of  the  rules  and  regulations  for 
the  government  of  the  Society  be  annexed  by  adding  the  words 
"be  appointed  by  the  President"  so  as  to  make  it  read :  There  shall 
be  appointed  by  the  President  or  Chairman  a  Standing  Commit- 
tee; whereas 

Resolved,  that  the  Sexton  of  St.  John's  (Mr.  Wenman)  be 
allowed  Twelve  Shillings  for  serving  the  notices,  making  the 
fires,  and  attending  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Society  at  each 
meeting. 

Resolved,  That  a  vote  of  thanks  of  this  Board  be  returned  to 
the  President  (The  Right  Rev.  Bishop  Moore)  for  his  sermon 
preached  before  the  Society  at  their  annual  meeting,  and  that  he 
be  requested  to  furnish  a  copy  for  publication. 

Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  three  members  be  appointed 
to  wait  on  the  Bishop  to  request  a  copy,  and  that  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Howe,  Dr.  John  Onderdonk  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Lyell  compose  that 
Committee. 

Pursuant  to  the  third  article  of  the  rules  and  regulations  for 
the  government  of  the  Society,  Resolved  that  the  Treasurer  be 
requested  to  give  to  Bishop  Moore  in  trust  for  the  Society,  secur- 
ity in  the  form  of  Five  thousand  Dollars  for  the  trust  reposed  in 
him. 

The  President  agreeably  to  the  fourth  article  of  the  Constitu- 
tion of  the  Society  appointed  the  Rev.  Dr.  Beach  to  preach  at  the 
next  annual  meeting. 


CHAPTER  III. 

CONTENTS. 

Dearth  of  Small  Prayer-Books  For  Distribution  —  Books  of  i2mo  and 
24nio  Printed  in  1810  —  Letter  from  Father  Nash  to  Bishop  Hobart  — 
Annual  Meeting  of  B.  and  C.  P.  B.  Society  in  New  York,  February  28,  181 1  — 
Report  of  Board  of  Managers  —  Rules  Regulating  Proportion  of  Bibles  and 
Prayer-Books  Passed  —  Meeting  of  February  25,  1812  —  Report  of  Managers 
—  French  Edition  of  the  Bible  Recommended  —  Repeal  of  Bye-Laws  — 
Letter  from  the  President  of  the  New  Jersey  Bible  Society  —  Multiplication 
of  Bible  Societies  in  Cities  and  Villages  —  Letter  from  Father  Nash  to 
Bishop  Hobart  —  Pastoral  by  Bishop  Hobart  on  the  Need  of  Teaching  the 
Distinctive  Doctrines  of  the  Church  —  Insists  on  the  Value  of  Distributing 
the  Prayer-Book  with  the  Bible  —  Pastoral  Arouses  Criticism  in  Many 
Quarters  —  Reply  to  Pastoral  by  "A  Layman"  —  Another  Reply  by  "An 
Episcopalian"  —  Letters  to  Bishop  Hobart  from  Judge  Emott  and  the  Rev. 
John  McVickar  —  Organization  of  the  General  Bible  and  Common  Prayer 
Book  Society  of  Albany  and  Vicinity  —  Letter  from  the  Rev.  T.  Clowes. 

BISHOP    Moore's    earnest    words    had    their    effect,    sec- 
onded as  they  were  by  the  enthusiasm  of  Dr.  Hobart.    In 
the  midst  of  anxieties  of  all  kinds,  and  notwithstanding 
the  exacting  duties  of  his  parish,  he  gave  to  the  Society 
time  and  anxious  thought.     The  method  of  distribution   was 
devised  by  him,  though  it  was  modified  as  occasion  required. 
There  was  at  that  time  a  lack  of  copies  of  the  Prayer  Book^ 

I.     So  far  as  known  the  only  editions  of  the  Prayer  Book  issued  up  to 
the  year  1810,  in  New  York  and  Brooklyn,  are  these: 
1710.     i2mo.    N.  Y.     William  Bradford,  Printer. 
Brooklyn,  Thomas  Kirk,  Printer. 
N.  Y.,  for  Wm.  Durrell  (George  Forman,  Printer). 
N.  Y.,  Samuel  Campbell. 
N.  Y.,  for  T.  &  J.  Swords. 
N.  Y.,  Peter  A.  Mesier. 
N.  Y.,  T.  &  J.  Swords. 
Peter  A.  Mesier. 
N.  Y.,  Alexander  Ming. 
N.  Y.,  Campbell  &  Mitchell. 
N.  Y.,  T.  &  J.  Swords. 
N.  Y.,  T.  &  J.  Swords. 
Copies  are  preserved  in  the  Custodian's  collection  in  the  Church  Missions 
House,  New  York. 

43 


I80I. 

8vo. 

1803. 

i6mo. 

1803. 

24mo. 

1803. 

64mo. 

1805. 

4to. 

1805. 

i6vo. 

1806. 

8vo. 

1806. 

i2mo. 

1808. 

24mo. 

I8I0. 

i2mo. 

I8I0. 

24mo. 

44.  Letter  from  Father  Nash.  [1810 

suitable  for  general  circulation.  They  were  bulky  octavos  or 
very  small  twenty-four  mos.  It  was  not  until  1810,  possibly  at 
Dr.  Hobart's  suggestion,  that  a  book  of  convenient  size  and  clear 
print  was  issued,  which  was  admirably  adapted  for  the  purpose  of 
the  Society.  It  was  in  both  twelve  and  twenty-fourmo  form, 
and  was  issued  by  the  old  firm  of  Thomas  and  John  Swords. 

A  letter  from  the  Rev.  Daniel  Nash,  whose  title  of  "Father  of 
the  Church  in  Western  New  York"  was  justly  earned  by  his 
abundant  labour  and  privations  in  establishing  and  serving  mis- 
sions in  the  southern  tier  of  counties  of  the  State  until  they  ac- 
quired strength  and  permanence,  gives  an  excellent  example  of 
this  method  of  work  and  the  value  of  the  Book  of  Common 
Prayer  in  such  a  field. 

Rev.  and  Dear  Sir : 

The  books  you  was  so  kind  as  to  send  me  last  year  I  have  dis- 
tributed and  am  happy  to  inform  you  that  they  apparently  had  a 
good  effect,  as  they  enabled  us  to  perform  the  service  with  more 
solemnity.  The  Book  of  Common  Prayer  is  the  most  useful 
Book ;  next  to  that  an  old  Book  entitled  "The  Poor  Man's  Help 
and  the  Young  Man's  Guide."  If  this  could  be  distributed  under 
the  recommendation  of  our  worthy  Bishop  (as  it  undoubtedly 
would  meet  his  approbation),  it  would  do  much  good.  Your 
Companion  to  the  Altar  is  used  by  people  of  the  best  information 
and  highly  esteemed  by  them.  If  you  have  books  on  hand  to 
send  into  the  country,  I  request  you  to  send  me  some. 

No  people  are  in  more  need  for  vigorous  efforts  are  made  to 
shake  the  faith  of  almost  every  one.  The  task  before  us  is  un- 
bounded. I  am  truly  in  want  of  your  friendship  in  affording  me 
all  the  means  in  your  power  to  disseminate  correct  principles. 
But  it  is  seldom  I  hear  from  the  City,  and  know  but  little  respect- 
ing the  state  of  the  Church.  Could  information  be  afforded  it 
would  be  highly  pleasing  to.  Rev.  and  Dear  Sir 

Your  obliged  friend, 

Exeter,  Otsego  County,  Daniel  Nash. 

May  I2th,  1810. 

So  earnest  and  persistent  were  the  exertions  of  those  who  man- 
aged the  new  venture  of  faith,  so  greatly  was  the  need  of  Prayer 


1811]  Report  of  1811.  46 

Books  as  well  as  of  Bibles  felt  by  the  Missionaries  and  their 
flocks  of  pioneers  in  the  "Western  Country,"  as  the  region  be- 
yond Albany  was  called,  that  the  funds  of  the  Society  grew  rap- 
idly and  the  treasurer  in  his  report  for  iSii  made  the  very  cheer- 
ing announcement  that  the  receipts  had  been  $3,405.  "This," 
says  Dr.  McVickar,  "was  a  sum  at  that  day  unprecedented  for 
such  purposes."^ 

At  the  meeting  of  January  9,  181 1,  it  was  announced  that  the 
British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  had  made  the  Society  a  grant 
of  £100  sterling  in  Bibles.  A  note  of  thanks  to  the  English  So- 
ciety was  accordingly  passed;  and  at  the  same  meeting  it  was 
resolved,  That  the  following  be  added  to  the  Bye-Laws,  viz. :  "Be- 
sides the  annual  meeting,  there  shall  be  stated  meetings  of  the 
Board  of  Managers  of  this  vSociety,  the  last  Wednesday  in  May, 
August  and  November,  and  the  First  in  February  in  every  year," 
of  which  due  notice  shall  be  given  by  the  Secretary.     (Folio  16.) 

The  annual  meeting  of  "the  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book 
Society  established  in  the  City  of  New  York"  was  held  in  Trinity 
Church,  on  Thursday,  the  26th  February,  181 1.  The  following 
Report  of  the  Board  of  Managers  was  submitted  to  the  Society. 

It  was,  of  course, 'the  first  object  of  attention  with  the  Board 
to  procure  funds.  For  this  purpose  committees  were  appointed, 
in  the  different  wards,  to  wait  upon  the  members  of  the  Episcopal 
Church  residing  in  the  city,  and  solicit  their  support.  The  work 
is  still  but  imperfectly  executed.  Nevertheless,  we  have  reason 
to  be  thankful  that  so  considerable  a  sum  has  been  procured.  The 
following  report  of  the  treasurer  will  show  the  state  of  the  funds : 

The  Treasurer  of  the  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  So- 
ciety has  received,  since  the  commencement  of  this  institution, 
the  following  sums  for  the  use  of  the  Society,  viz. 

For  subscriptions  and  donations $2,848.50 

A  collection  in  Trinity  Church,  Feb.  27th, 

i8io 191.84 

Dividends  of  stock   in   the  Eagle  Fire 

Company   211.50— $3,251.84 


I.    The  Professional  Years  of  John  Henry  Hobart,  D.D.,  being  a  sequel  to 
his  Early  Years.    By  John  McVickar,  D.D.   p.  183. 


46  Report  of  1811.  [1811 

And  has  expended  in  the  purchase  of 
twenty-seven  shares  in  the  Eagle 
Fire  Company,  at  different  times,  as 
per  account  rendered $3,056.60 

Insurance  on  £100  sterling  worth  of 
Bibles,  sent  by  the  British  and  For- 
eign Bible  Society,  per  do.  do 24.70 — $3,081.30 

The  balance  remaining  in  his  hand  is. . .  .  $170.54 

The  total  amount  of  subscriptions,  donations,  and  collections 

to  this  date,  as  far  as  returns  have  been  received,  is  as  follows : 

Subscriptions  of  two  dollars  annually $150. 

Ditto  of  five  dollars 60. 

Ditto  for  life 1,950. 

Donations 1,053.50 

Collections  in  Church 191.84 

$3»405.34 
Feb.  20th,  181 1.  GuLiAN  Ludlow,  Treasurer. 

Besides  this,  the  sum  of  192  dollars  has  been  subscribed  in 
Common  Prayer  Books,  most  of  which  have  been  received  and 
distributed.  And  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  with 
their  characteristic  generosity,  have  granted  us,  in  Bibles,  a  dona- 
tion of  one  hundred  pounds  sterling.  The  books  have  not  yet 
been  received,  but  are  expected  every  day. 

By  the  constitution  of  the  Society,  the  contributions  at  the 
time  of  subscribing,  and  the  donations  which  may  at  any  time  be 
received,  constitute  a  permanent  fund,  and  are,  of  course,  not 
subject  to  disbursement.  The  dispensable  monies  of  the  Society 
consist  of  the  annual  contributions,  and  the  interest  of  the  perma- 
nent fund.  It  will  be  seen,  therefore,  that  the  Society  could  not 
be  in  a  situation  to  purchase  and  distribute  books,  until  a  year 
after  the  commencement  of  its  active  operations.  This  will  ac- 
count for  the  fact,  that  no  purchases  have  yet  been  actually  made. 
The  managers,  however,  have  voted  an  appropriation  of  the 
interest  which  shall  have  been  received  upon  the  permanent  fund 
on  the  first  of  this  month,  and  of  the  annual  contributions  of  the 
past  year,  to  the  purchase  and  distribution  of  Bibles  and  Common 
Prayer  Books  in  such  proportion  as  the  standing  committee  shall 
think  proper.     As  soon  as  the  annual  contributions  shall  be  re- 


1811]  Meeting  of  December  2,  1811.  47 

ceived,  the  committee  will  see  that  the  appropriation  in  question 
be  carried  into  immediate  effect.^ 

Much  of  the  success  was  due  to  the  marked  efficiency  of  the 
Managers. 

At  the  meeting  of  December  2,  iSii,  it  was  on  motion, 

Resolved,  That  the  rule  relative  to  the  distribution  of 
Bibles,  Common  Prayer  Books  &  religious  Tracts  be  re- 
pealed, &  that  the  following  be  substituted  viz,  That  one  half  of 
the  Bibles,  Common  Prayer  Books  &  religious  Tracts  be  divided 
equally,  among  the  Managers  for  distribution,  and  the  other  half 
be  deposited  with  the  Bishop  for  distribution  in  those  parts  of  the 
State  which  in  his  opinion  may  stand  most  in  need  of  this  aid. 

Resolved,  That  the  Treasurer  be  authorized  to  have  the  Bibles 
granted  to  this  Institution  by  the  British  &  Foreign  Bible  Society 
bound,  and  also  to  settle  with  Messrs.  Swords  their  account  of 
the  1 6th  of  August  last  against  this  Society. 

Resolved,  That  the  Standing  Committee  be  directed  to  invest 
the  disposable  money  of  the  Society,  which  may  now  be  in  the 
hands  of  the  Treasurer,  with  whatever  he  may  receive  before  the 
next  annual  meeting  of  the  Society  in  the  purchase  and  distribu- 
tion of  Common  Prayer  Books. 

Resolved,  That  the  Standing  Committee  be  impowered  to  pur- 
chase Common  Prayer  Books  upon  credit,  if  they  shall  deem  it 
expedient,  to  the  amount  of  one  hundred  dollars  to  be  paid  out 
of  the  disposable  monies  of  the  Society  of  the  ensuing  year. 

Resolved,  That  the  Treasurer  be  directed  to  pay  all  accounts 
for  incidental  expenses  brought  against  the  Society. 

Adjourned.  Tho.  Lyell,  Secretary. 

Without  noisy  declamation  or  frantic  appeals  the  Society  grew 
into  the  confidence  of  Churchmen.  It  was  ready  even  then  in  its 
infancy,  to  respond  to  any  calls  upon  it  from  any  part  of  the 
United  States,  but  was  practically  confined  to  the  State  of  New 
York,  where  was  the  most  promising  outlook  and  where  Dr. 
Hobart  after  his  elevation  to  the  Episcopate  had  developed  a 
greater  area  to  be  covered  by  both  men  and  that  "silent  mission- 
ary" the  Book  of  Common  Prayer.  The  annual  meetings  were 
occasions  of  great  interest.    These  minutes  show  how  the  Society 

I.  The  list  of  Donors  and  Subscribers  to  the  Society  at  this  time,  will  be 
found  in  the  Appendix. 


48  Books  for  Children.  •  [1813 

aimed  to  reach  all  classes  of  society  and  to  train  children  in  the 
way  of  truth. 

At  the  annual  meeting  of  February  25,  1812,  the  following 
gentlemen  were  appointed  Managers  for  the  ensuing  year: 
Matthew  Clarkson,  Thomas  Harvey,  George  Dominick,  William 
Bayard,  David  B.  Ogden,  Henry  Rogers,  Jacob  Le  Roy,  John 
Slidell,  John  Onderdonk,  Gulian  Ludlow.^ 

At  the  meeting  held  in  Trinity  Church,  February  3,  18 13 — 

The  president  informed  the  Board  that  arrangements  were 
making  to  provide  seats  in  the  different  Episcopal  Churches  in 
this  City  for  the  Children  in  the  New  York  Free  School,  who 
belong  to  the  Episcopal  Church,  and  urged  the  propriety  of  the 
said  Chidren  being  provided  with  Prayer  Books  from  those  in 
the  hands  of  the  managers  of  this  Society, 

W^hereupon,  on  motion. 

Resolved,  That  a  member  of  this  Board  be  appointed  to  make 
arrangements  with  those  who  have  the  superintendence  of  said 
Children,  for  the  preservation  and  proper  use  of  the  Prayer  Books 
which  may  be  given  them :  and  also  to  apply  to  the  members  of 
this  Board,  for  the  Prayer  Books  which  they  may  have  to  be  thus 
disposed  of. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Onderdonk  was  accordingly  appointed. 

However,  at  the  next  meeting,  that  of  February  24,  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Onderdonk  stated  to  the  Board  that  he  was  proceeding  in 
the  business  for  which  he  had  been  appointed  at  the  last  meeting, 
when  he  was  informed  that  the  Corporation  of  Trinity  Church 
had  granted  a  sufficient  supply  of  Prayer  Books  for  the  purpose 
contemplated.     It  was  thereupon 

Resolved,  That  this  donation  from  Trinity  Church  renders 
unnecessary  any  provision  from  the  members  of  this  Board. 
(Folio  350 

At  the  annual  meeting,  March  2,  1813,  the  following  gentle- 
men were  appointed  Managers  for  the  ensuing  year:  Matthew 
Clarkson,  Gulian  Ludlow,  George  Dominick,  John  Slidell,  Henry 
Rogers,  Robert  Troup,  T.  Harvey,  David  B.  Ogden,  Jacob  Le 
Roy,  John  Onderdonk.     (Folio  36.) 

At  the  meeting  of  November  24,  18 13,  a  letter  was  received 

I.    Folio  27.    Mr.  George  Dominick's  name  is  spelled  in  the  minutes  some- 
times "Dominic"  and  at  other  times  "Dominick." 


1814]  Bye  Laws.  49 

from  the  Bible  Society  of  New  York  on  the  subject  of  a  French 
edition  of  the  Bible,  which  was  read  &  referred  agreeably  to  the 
1st  article  of  the  rules  and  regulations  of  this  Society  to  the 
Standing  Committee,  to  report  thereon  at  the  next  meeting  of  the 
Board. 

The  next  meeting  was  on  February  2,  18 14,  when  the  Stand- 
ing Committee  to  whom  was  referred  the  letter  from  the 
Bible  Society  of  New  York  on  the  subject  of  a  French 
edition  of  the  Bible,  Reported,  That  it  be  recommended  to  the 
Board  of  Managers  to  become  Subscribers  on  the  part  of  this 
society  for  100  Copies  of  the  said  edition  of  the  Bible,  to  be  at 
the  disposal  of  the  Board  of  Managers. 

On  motion,  Resolved.  That  the  above  report  of  the  Standing 
Committee  be  accepted. 

On  February  23,  181 4,  it  was,  on  motion. 

Resolved,  that  the  4th  &  7th  Bye  Laws  be  repealed,  and  that 
the  following  be  substituted  in  their  stead. 

Bye  Law. 

One  half  of  the  Bibles,  Common  prayer  books  and  religious 
tracts  shall  be  distributed  among  the  congregation  in  the  Western 
District  of  the  State,  and  among  the  Missionaries ;  and  the  other 
half  shall  be  distributed  equally  among  the  congregations  in  other 
parts  of  the  State,  except  those  congregations  which  may  be 
otherwise  provided  with  Bibles  and  Common  Prayer  Books. 

"At  the  annual  meeting  of  March  i,  1814,  the  following  were 
elected  Managers  for  the  ensuing  year:  Matthew  Clarkson, 
Henry  Rogers,  Gulian  Ludlow,  Thomas  Harvey,  David  B.  Og- 
den,  Jacob  Le  Roy,  Robert  Troup,  George  Dominic,  John  Slidell, 
John  Onderdonk.     (Folio  43.) 

At  the  meeting  of  May  24,  18 14,  the  Secretary  presented  to 
the  Board  a  printed  copy  of  the  Semi-annual  report  of  the  Bible 
Society  of  Nassau-Hall,  adopted  at  their  Semi-annual  meeting 
April  2nd,  18 14.  Ordered,  that  the  Secretary  be  requested  to 
send,  in  return,  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Bible  Society  of  Nassau- 
Hall  the  printed  copy  of  the  constitution,  and  first  report  of  the 
New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society.     (  Folio  44. ) 

At  the  same  meeting,  a  doubt  having  been  suggested  whether 
the  letter  of  acknowledgment  formerly  requested  by  this  Board 
to  be  sent  by  the  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  Moore,  then  President  of  the 
(4) 


50  Letters  from  the  Auxiliary.  [1816 

Society,  to  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  had  not  been 
omitted  in  consequence  of  Bishop  Moore's  indisposition,  it  was. 

Resolved,  That  if  that  has  been  the  case,  The  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop 
Hobart  be  requested  to  address  a  letter  to  the  British  and  For- 
eign Bible  Society  stating  the  circumstance,  and  returning  the 
thanks  of  this  Society  for  the  donation  of  Bibles  made  by  that 
body. 

At  the  meeting  of  February  i,  1815,  a  letter  was  received  from 
Mr.  Boudinot,  President  of  the  New  Jersey  Bible  Society,  on  the 
subject  of  appointing  Delegates  to  constitute  a  General  Associa- 
tion of  Bible  Societies  in  the  United  States. 

Whereupon,  Resolved,  that  the  President  be  directed  to  state 
to  the  President  of  the  New  Jersey  Bible  Society,  that  the  design 
of  this  Society  embracing  the  distribution  of  the  Book  of  Com- 
mon Prayer  as  well  as  the  Bible,  it  is  not  expedient  to  appoint 
delegates  for  the  purpose  aforesaid.     (Folio  46.) 

At  the  annual  meeting  of  February  28,  18 15,  the  managers 
elected  were :  Matthew  Clarkson,  David  B.  Ogden,  Gulian  Lud- 
low, Robert  Troup,  George  Dominick,  Henry  Rogers,  Thomas 
Harvey,  John  Slidell,  John  Onderdonk.     (Folio  48.) 

At  the  annual  meeting,  February  27,  18 16,  the  managers  ap- 
pointed were :  Matthew  M.  Clarkson,  David  B.  Ogden,  Gulian 
Ludlow,  Robert  Troup,  George  Dominick,  Henry  Rogers,  John 
Slidell,  John  Onderdonk,  Isaac  Carrow,  William  Bayard.    (Folio 

53-) 

On  April  15,  18 16,  The  President  laid  before  the  Board  "two 
communications  from  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Com- 
mon Prayer  Book  Society,  signed  *Benj.  Haight,  Corresponding 
Secry.'  The  one  bearing  date  March  i8th,  1816  (see  papers 
on  file  A)  informing  of  the  Organization  of  that  Society, 
and  of  the  disposition  of  its  members  to  cooperate  with  the  parent 
Institution  in  any  measure  which  may  require  their  joint  funds 
and  to  preserve  a  friendly  intercourse  in  their  ordinary  opera- 
tions:— The  other  dated  March  21,  18 16  (see  papers  on  file  B) 
gave  information  of  the  appointment  of  a  Committee  by  the  Aux- 
iliary Society  to  enquire  into  the  expediency  of  purchasing  a  set  of 
stereotype  plates  for  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  and  requested 
this  Board  (if  it  should  think  proper)  to  appoint  a  Committee  on 
the  same  subject. 

"Whereupon  on  Motion  of  Gen.  Clarkson,  Resolved  unani- 


MATTHEW    CLARKSON 


1814]  Letter  from  Father  Nash.  51 

mously  that  the  Standing  Committee  of  this  Board  be  requested 
to  express  to  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Auxiliary  New  York 
Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  the  great  satisfaction 
this  Board  feels  on  the  organization  of  their  Society,  its  best 
wishes  for  the  divine  blessing  on  their  exertions,  and  its  willing- 
ness to  cooperate  in  any  measure  which  may  require  the  joint 
counsel  or  funds  of  the  two  Societies : — and  also  that  the  Stand- 
ing Committee  be  requested  to  confer  with  the  Committee  of  the 
Auxiliary  Society  on  the  subject  of  the  Stereotype  plates."    (Folio 

55.) 

As  Bible  Societies  multiplied  both  in  cities  and  villages  and 

reproach  was  cast  upon  those  who  were  unwilling  to  join  them  as 
unevangelical,  Bishop  Hobart  saw  that  plain  words  were  neces- 
sary to  explain  the  stand  taken  by  himself  and  others.  He  viewed 
with  alarm  the  avowed  purpose  of  many  of  the  Bible  Societies  to 
unite  all  Protestants  in  a  common  cause  as  an  ignoring  of  essen- 
tial differences  of  doctrine  and  polity.  The  effort  to  inculcate 
Church  principles  in  the  great  mission  field  of  the  diocese  was 
greatly  nullified  by  this  so-called  spirit  of  charity  and  fraternal 
comity,  as  the  correspondence  of  Bishop  Hobart  at  this  period 
fully  shows.  In  this  letter  Father  Nash  unconsciously  exhibits 
both  his  own  prudence  and  Bishop  Hobart's  persistence.  This  is 
evidently  one  of  those  letters  which  urged  the  Bishop  to  present 
to  the  Diocese  his  "Godly  admonition  and  advice." 

Exeter,  Otsego  County,  July  ist,  18 14. 
Right  Rev.  and  Dear  Sir : 

Undoubtedly  you  will  recollect  that  you  urged  me  last  year  to 
establish  a  religious  Society  in  the  Western  District,  chiefly  for 
the  purpose  of  disseminating  the  Prayer  Book.  I  then  judged, 
perhaps  erroneously,  that  nothing  worthy  of  notice  could  be  ef- 
fected by  any  such  Institution. 

I  had  proposed  it  to  some  of  the  leading  members  of  the 
Church,  and  they  had  appeared  very  indifferent  whether  any 
such  Society  was  established.  This  led  me  to  judge  as  I  did.  We 
have  now  an  accession  of  Clergymen  who  are  zealous  in  the  cause 
of  their  Master  and  of  His  Church.  I  have  assurance  from  more 
than  one  of  them  that  they  will  lend  all  the  assistance  in  their 
power.    Some  of  the  laymen  think  favourably  of  the  plan. 

To  give  it  as  much  weight  as  possible  I  wish  the  Constitution 


52  Letter  from  Father  Nash.  [1814 

may  be  forwarded  by  you.  All  will  then  be  ready  to  subscribe  to 
it,  and  to  afford  their  aid.  This  Society,  altho  extensive,  will 
embrace  many  similar  Societies  in  the  Western  District.  An 
enquiry  will  then  be  made  in  every  Church,  in  every  family,  and 
of  all  who  can  read,  whether  they  are  furnished  with  Prayer 
Books  and  whether  they  unite  in  reading  aloud  in  public. 

An  address  from  you  urging  them  to  comply  with  their  duty 
in  that  particular  will  do  much  good,  thus  a  wonderful  accession 
of  strength  will,  in  a  short  time,  be  obtained  to  the  Church.  We 
shall  look  to  you,  who,  ex  officio,  will  be  our  President,  to  urge 
forward  the  business.  I  will  go  as  you  direct  me.  I  presume  all 
will  comply  with  alacrity. 

On  condition  you  appoint  me  to  attend  the  institution  of  Mr. 
Clarke  of  Geneva,  I  shall  have  opportunity  of  conversing  with 
most  of  the  clergymen  on  the  subject  and  the  Society  will  be 
formed  either  then  or  when  they  attend  the  Convention. 

Your  obliged  friend  and  servant, 
'  Daniel  Nash. 

Mr.  Nash  sent  the  Bishop  this  paper : 

Nezv  Berlin  Sherburne 

Capt  Jabez  Beardsley  Willard  Wilton 

Jonathan  Habley  Attorney  at  Law 

Unadella  Hamilton,  Madison  County. 

Abijah  H.  Beach,  Esq  —  Hubbard 

Capt  Thatcher  Attorney  at  Law,  son 


Curtis  Noble 

vji.      LUC      xvcv.      i^<^r\^v\ji 

Hubbard      of     New 

Isaac  Hayes 

*    Haven 

Richfield 

John  Pringle 
Capt  John  Smith 

Butternuts                            °.c-2 
Jacob  Morris  Esq            ^^  g 
Capt  Vine  Botsford       H  §  | 
Capt  Amos  Palmer        ;!  i« 

New  Lisbon 

Elnathan  Noble  Esq 
Major  Martin  Noble 

Chenango  Point 
Mason  Whiting  Esq 

Cyrenius  Noble 

1815]  Pastoral  Letter.  53 

Windsor  Cooperstown 

Capt  Doolittle  Isaac  Cooper 

Titus  Thomaston  John  F.  Ernst 

Wm.  Jarvis  Edson^ 

From  Bishop  Hobart's  endorsement  we  know  that  this  Hst  was 
sent  to  him  in  October,  1814. 

The  urgency  of  the  clergy  and  others  in  the  "Western  Dis- 
trict," as  expressed  by  Mr.  Nash  and  some  of  the  most  earnest 
and  Judicious  workers  in  that  field,  led  the  Bishop  to  consider 
the  preparation  of  a  pastoral  letter  explaining  his  views  and  giv- 
ing his  advice  to  the  laymen  of  the  Diocese  in  a  way  it  could  not 
be  given  by  the  parish  priest. 

Such  a  letter  had  never  been  issued  in  the  Diocese  of  New 
York. 

Some  might  cavil  at  the  authority  with  which  it  came,  since  Dr. 
Hobart  was  only  the  Assistant  Bishop,  and  both  the  retired 
Bishop,  Dr.  Provoost,  and  the  Bishop  of  the  Diocese,  Dr.  Moore, 
were  still  living.  But  to  him  the  full  charge  of  the  Diocese  had 
been  committed  and  he  felt  the  weight  of  responsibility  for  every 
one  under  his  care.  He  knew  that  some  excellent  men.  Church- 
men of  the  old-fashioned  kind  whose  sympathies  were  entirely 
protestant,  and  some  who  boasted  of  their  breadth  and  freedom 
from  narrow  prejudice  and  bigotry,  would  oppose  his  godly 
counsel  and  advice.  Conscious  of  his  duty,  Dr.  Hobart  did  not 
hesitate  because  his  ideas  were  unpopular. 

His  friend  and  biographer,  Dr.  Berrian,  says :  "The  great  in- 
difference to  the  distinctive  principles  of  the  Church,  even  among 
many  of  our  own  people,  from  an  ignorance  of  their  nature  and 
importance ;  the  false  notions  of  liberality  prevailing  among  those 
who  were  better  informed,  and  the  general  disapprobation  at  that 
time,  among  other  denominations  of  a  policy  which  was  regarded 
as  narrow,  selfish,  and  almost  intolerant,  would  have  made  such 
an  appeal  to  the  clergy  themselves  a  bold  and  startling  measure. 
But  confident  that  he  was  right,  and  sure  of  their  general  support 
when  the  matter  should  be  duly  weighed,  he  determined  to  ad- 
dress himself  to  his  people  at  large  to  whom  it  was  still  more  new 
and  strange.    He  always  had  a  strong  reliance  on  the  good  sense 

I.    Hobart  MSS.     Archives  of  the  General  Convention. 


54  Pastoral  Letter.  [1815 

of  the  community,  and  was  persuaded  that  the  just  and  reason- 
able cause  when  properly  supported  would  prevail  over  prejudice 
and  error.    In  the  present  instance  he  was  not  deceived."^ 

Dr.  McVickar,  also  a  pupil  and  friend,  says:  "Though  well 
aware  how  hostile  at  first  sight  the  measure  would  appear  to  all 
other  denominations,  how  easily  it  might  be  perverted  to  party 
purposes  within  the  Church,  and  the  outcry  of  'bigotry*  be  raised 
against  both  it  and  him,  though  well  aware,  too,  that  it  was  a 
question  in  which  he  stood  in  the  minority,  perhaps  a  small  one, 
certainly  with  the  laity  of  his  Church,  and  most  probably  even 
with  his  clergy,  still  he  faltered  not.'"^ 

In  the  Spring  of  1815  the  Bishop  issued  his  long  expected  Pas- 
toral Letter. 

So  completely  did  the  Letter  set  forth  the  principles  upon  which 
he  had  consistently  acted,  so  careful  was  he  of  the  honour  and 
welfare  of  the  Church,  and  so  full  is  it  of  truth,  as  necessary  now 
as  when  first  written,  that  it  is  almost  fully  incorporated  into  this 
History.  Bishop  Hobart's  words  and  opinions  are  known  to 
very  few  in  this  generation  but  they  deserve  both  recognition 
and  remembrance. 

A  Pastoral  Letter. 
Brethren, 

By  a  Canon  of  our  Church  it  is  deemed  proper  that  her  Bish- 
ops should  from  time  to  time  address  Pastoral  Letters  to  the 
People  of  their  respective  diocesses,  on  such  subjects  as  may  ap- 
pear interesting  and  useful.  The  General  Pastoral  Letter  from 
the  House  of  Bishops  at  every  General  Convention  seems  in  some 
degree  to  supersede  the  necessity  of  these  particular  addresses. 
There  may  be  cases,  however,  in  which  addresses  of  this  nature 
will  be  expedient  and  necessary.  The  present  address  is  occa- 
sioned by  the  request  of  some  of  the  clergj^  in  the  western  part 
of  the  State.  They  propose  forming  a  Society  the  principal 
object  of  which  shall  be  the  gratuitous  distribution  of  the  Bible 
and  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  and  they  are  solicitous  that  their 

1.  The  Posthumous  Works  of  Bishop  Hobart.  With  a  Memoir  of  his 
Life,  by  the  Rev.  William  Berrian,  D.D.    Vol.  I.,  p.  162. 

2.  Early  Life  and  Professional  Years  of  Bishop  Hobart.  By  John 
McVickar,  D.D.    p.  373. 


1815]  Pastoral  Letter.  55 

pious  and  benevolent  design  should  be  explained  and  enforced  by 
the  Bishop  of  the  diocese  in  a  Pastoral  Address. 

I  comply  with  this  request  the  more  readily,  from  a  wish  to 
call  the  attention  of  Church  people  generally  to  the  importance 
of  establishing  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Societies,  and  of 
aiding"  these  institutions  by  their  contributions. 

The  present  age  is  distinguished  by  the  unparalleled  .efforts 
which  are  made  for  the  distribution  of  the  Word  of  God.  The 
Bible  alone  contains  that  knowledge  which  is  able  to  make  us 
wise  unto  salvation,  it  reveals  that  mercy  which  extends  pardon 
to  the  guilty,  it  confers  that  grace  which  is  the  source  of  holiness 
and  virtue,  and  it  confirms  all  the  deductions  of  reason,  and  all 
the  desires  of  nature  concerning  the  state  beyond  the  grave,  by 
ensuring  to  us,  on  the  promise  of  God  himself,  through  his  Son, 
our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  the  hope  of  everlasting  bliss. 
The  sacred  volume  thus  provides  for  "the  life  which  is  to  come." 
It  secures,  also,  the  individual  and  general  happiness  of  man  in 
the  life  "which  now  is,"  controlling  by  its  divine  influence  those 
passions  which  are  the  foes  of  man's  peace;  adorning  him  with 
those  virtues  which  render  his  social  relations  beneficial  and  inter- 
esting, and  a  source  of  enjoyment  to  him ;  and,  both  in  its  injunc- 
tions and  its  sanctions,  furnishing  the  civil  government  with 
means  of  commanding  obedience,  which  no  human  authority,  and 
no  temporal  sanctions  can  supply.  In  the  distribution  of  the 
Bible  then,  the  Christian  is  engaged  in  promoting  the  eternal  sal- 
vation of  his  fellow  men ;  and  the  patriot  and  philanthropist  in 
advancing  the  best  interests  of  his  country  and  the  world. 

The  members  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  who  consti- 
tuted the  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  were  deeply 
impressed  with  the  duty  which  seemed  to  call  forth  all  the  ener- 
gies of  the  Christian  world,  of  diffusing  the  knowledge  of  God's 
revealed  will  by  the  gratuitous  distribution  of  the  sacred  volume 
which  contains  it.  They  were,  however,  naturally  led,  at  the 
same  time,  to  consider  that  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  contains 
the  purest  exhibition  of  that  evangelical  truth  which  the  Bible 
reveals,  and  therefore  resolved  to  devote  their  exertions  to  the 
distribution  of  this  invaluable  summary  of  divine  truth  and  for- 
mulary of  devotion  in  conjunction  with  that  sacred  volume  whose 
contents  it  faithfully  exhibits  and  whose  spirit  it  has  imbibed. 

Accordingly  a  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  was 


M  Pastoral  Letter.  [1815 

instituted  in  the  City  of  New-York,  in  the  year  1809,  and  soon 
after  a  similar  institution  was  estabhshed  in  the  City  of  Albany. 
It  is  perceived  with  pleasure  that  efforts  are  making  for  forming 
a  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  in  the  western  part  of 
this  State,  and  the  earnest  wish  is  cherished  that  societies  of  the 
same  nature  may  be  instituted  in  other  places.  It  will  be  proper 
therefore  to  display  the  various  considerations  which  justify  and 
enforce  the  distribution  of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  as  well 
as  the  Bible  by  the  same  Societies. 

The  first  consideration  which  enforces  the  propriety  of  the 
measure,  is  that  among  Episcopalians  there  is  a  greater  want  of 
the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  than  of  the  Bible.  Few  families 
belonging  to  the  Church  are  destitute  of  a  Bible;  a  single  Bible 
may  answer  for  a  family,  but  in  order  to  enable  all  its  members 
to  unite  in  public  worship  several  Common  Prayer  Books  must  be 
provided. 

In  every  place  where  there  is  an  Episcopal  congregation  there 
may  be  some  persons  desirous  of  becoming  acquainted  with  the 
principles  and  worship  of  the  Church,  and  perhaps  disposed  to 
attach  themselves  to  it,  who  are  yet  unwilling  or  unable  to  pur- 
chase a  Prayer  Book.  Even  where  the  head  of  a  family  of  this 
description  furnishes  himself  with  a  Prayer  Book  he  may  not 
have  it  in  his  power  to  purchase  one  for  every  member  of  his 
household. 

These  remarks  apply  with  peculiar  force  to  congregations  re- 
cently formed  and  to  new  settlements.  In  such  situations  there 
are  numbers  destitute  of  Prayer  Books,  and  destitute  also  of  the 
means  of  procuring  them.  A  missionary  will  labour  under  the 
greatest  disadvantages  in  forming  new  congregations  and  in 
augmenting  and  establishing  those  already  formed,  unless  he  is 
furnished  with  Prayer  Books  for  distribution.  The  argument 
therefore  for  the  gratuitous  circulation  of  the  Bible  founded  on 
the  fact  that  numbers  are  destitute  of  this  sacred  volume  or  unable 
to  proaire  a  copy  of  it,  applies  with  even  greater  force  to  the 
Book  of  Common  Prayer. 

The  distribution  of  this  book,  and  also  of  the  Bible,  as  joint 
objects  of  the  same  Society,  appears  proper,  because  the  connec- 
tion is  a  natural  and  judicious  one. 

Both  these  volumes  exhibit  divine  truth,  the  one  as  the  founda- 
tion, the  other  as  the  pure  stream  issuing  from  it ;  the  one  as  the 


1815]  Pastoral  Letter.  57 

divinely  constituted  standard,  the  other  as  the  model  approaching 
the  nearest  to  it,  of  any  human  talents  have  framed;  the  one  as 
the  original  code  which  contains  the  various  commands  of  the 
Most  High,  and  which  alone  as  the  law  and  testimony  speaks 
with  supreme  authority;  the  other  as  the  invaluable  digest,  in 
which  the  truths  and  precepts  of  the  sacred  volume  are  arranged 
in  lucid  order,  set  forth  with  the  most  perspicuous  simplicity,  em- 
bellished with  all  the  graces  of  diction,  and  animated  by  the 
purest  and  most  sublime  fervours  of  devotion.  It  would  be 
absurd,  and  indeed  impious,  to  exalt  the  human  compendium 
above  the  inspired  original,  but  as  Churchmen  we  deem  it  unnat- 
ural and  injudicious  to  separate  what  are  thus  closely  allied.  We 
wish  to  send  them  forth  in  their  natural  and  interesting  union, 
by  the  blessing  of  Heaven  to  enlighten  and  to  save  the  world. 

The  propriety  of  connecting  the  distribution  of  the  Book  of 
Common  Prayer  with  the  Bible  as  joint  objects  of  the  same  So- 
ciety derives  great  force  also  from  the  consideration  that  in  dis- 
tributing the  former  we  circulate  in  a  conspicuous  and  interesting 
manner  large  portions,  and  those  the  most  important,  of  the 
sacred  word. 

We  present  the  Bible  at  large,  and  with  the  Bible,  in  the  Book 
of  Common  Prayer,  an  abstract  of  it,  comprising,  in  the  words  of 
inspiration,  a  succinct  but  complete  summary  of  the  plan  of  re- 
demption; of  the  character,  the  history  and  the  offices  of  its 
Divine  Author;  of  its  principles,  its  duties,  and  its  hopes — many 
of  these  the  Psalter  displays  in  the  affecting  strains  of  penitence, 
supplication,  and  praise.  They  are  all  fully  exhibited  in  the 
Epistles  and  Gospels  contained  in  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer. 

These,  while  they  lead  us  from  the  contemplation  of  the  first 
Advent  of  the  Son  of  God,  in  great  humility,  contrasted  with  his 
second  Advent,  in  great  glory,  through  the  successive  stages  of 
his  life,  of  his  passion,  and  his  resurrection,  to  the  final  contem- 
plation of  his  work,  by  his  Ascension,  as  our  Intercessor  and 
Ruler,  to  the  right  hand  of  the  Most  High,  display  also  his 
divine  power  in  the  gifts  and  graces  of  the  Holy  Comforter,  the 
incomprehensible  glory  of  the  eternal  Trinity,  and  all  the  princi- 
ples, duties  and  privileges  of  that  great  salvation  which  Jesus 
Christ  proclaimed. 

Many  important  passages  of  Scripture,  establishing  faith,  or 


58  Pastoral  Letter.  [1815 

enforcing  obedience,  are  scattered  through  the  various  offices  in 
the  Book  of  Common  Prayer.  The  authority,  the  nature,  and 
the  privileges  of  the  sacrament  of  Baptism  are  set  forth  in  scrip- 
tural language  in  the  forms  of  administering  that  holy  sacrament, 
and  while  the  order  for  the  Holy  Communion  proclaims  the  moral 
law  in  the  words  of  God  himself,  delivered  on  the  Mount  Sinai, 
it  addresses,  from  the  hill  of  Zion,  his  penitent  transgressor  of 
that  law,  in  the  soothing  language  of  the  Saviour — "God  so 
loved  the  world  as  to  give  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever 
believeth  in  him  should  not  perish  but  should  have  everlasting 
life." 

In  distributing  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  then  we  circulate 
the  most  interesting  and  valuable  passages  of  Scripture  lucidly 
and  appositely  arranged,  so  as  to  present  not  a  perverted  view  of 
divine  truth,  but  in  simplicity  and  force  the  fundamental  princi- 
ples and  privileges  of  the  great  Charter  of  our  salvation,  and  the 
character  and  benign  offices  of  its  divine  Author.  It  is  not  haz- 
arding too  much  to  assert  that  he  who  will  read  the  portions  of 
sacred  writ  contained  in  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  and  in  the 
offices  usually  connected  with  it  will  become  acquainted  with 
every  part  of  Scripture  arranged  in  perspicuous  and  impressive 
order,  which  can  be  necessary  to  form  his  faith,  to  regulate  his 
obedience,  to  inspire  his  hopes,  and  to  guide  his  devotions.  We 
distribute  them,  the  Holy  Scriptures  in  a  manner  best  calculated 
to  diffuse  a  knowledge  of  their  sacred  contents,  when  we  distri- 
bute the  Book  of  Common  Prayer. 

This  will  more  fully  appear  from  the  further  consideration, 
which  renders  this  book  a  suitable  companion  for  the  Bible, — that 
the  Evangelical  truths  of  Scripture  are  set  forth  in  this  book  with 
clearness,  fidelity,  and  force. 

I  speak  now  of  those  truths  which  are  considered  funda- 
mental,— the  corruption  and  guilt  of  man,  the  divinity,  the 
atonement,  and  the  intercession  of  Jesus  Christ, — and  salvation 
through  a  lively  faith  in  him,  and  through  the  sanctifying  power 
of  the  Holy  Ghost.  To  quote  all  the  passages  which  set  forth 
these  doctrines  would  be  to  transcribe  the  liturgy.  They  consti- 
tute the  spirit  that  gives  life  to  every  page,  that  glows  in  every 
expression  of  this  inestimable  volume ;  they  are  set  forth,  not  in  a 
form  addressed  to  the  understanding,  but  in  that  fervent  language 


1816]  Pastoral  Letter.  59 

of  devotion  which  reaches  and  sways  the  heart.  Its  opponents 
yield  to  it  the  praise  of  evangelical  correctness.  They  think  they 
bring  the  most  decisive  evidence  of  the  want  of  evangelical  fidelity 
in  the  preaching  of  the  Ministers  of  the  Church,  when  they  assert 
it  contradicts  the  Articles  and  Liturgy ;  that  the  pulpit  is  at  vari- 
ance with  the  desk.  It  is  a  singular  glory  of  our  Liturgy,  that  it 
is  the  only  formulary  which  all  Protestants  acknowledge  as  a 
correct  exhibition  of  evangelical  doctrine.  What  greater  service, 
then,  can  we  render  to  a  benighted  and  ruined  world,  than  to 
circulate,  in  conjunction  with  the  Bible,  this  admirable  summary 
of  its  renovating  truths?      ********* 

But  what  are  the  objects  of  Bible  Societies?  The  general  ob- 
ject the  distribution  of  religious  truth — the  particular  object  the 
distribution  of  the  Bible.  In  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book 
Societies  Episcopalians  make  provision  for  the  distribution  of  the 
Bible,  and  thus  discharge  this  part  of  their  duty ;  and  by  provid- 
ing also  for  the  distribution  of  the  Prayer  Book,  they  fulfil  the 
general  duty  of  diffusing  truth  more  effectually  than  by  the  cir- 
culation of  the  Bible  alone.  What  particular  reason,  then,  can  be 
urged  for  their  relinquishing  the  most  effectual  mode  of  diffusing 
religious  truth,  in  order  to  unite  in  Bible  Societies  with  other  de- 
nominations of  Christians?  Is  this  measure  necessary  to  accom- 
plish their  pious  and  benevolent  designs  ?    By  no  means. 

Numbers,  individual  wealth,  and  a  liberality  worthy  of  praise 
and  of  imitation,  render  our  aid  unnecessary.  Is  the  union  of 
Episcopalians  in  Bible  Societies  with  other  denominations  desir- 
able and  proper,  because  the  only  differences  between  them  and 
us  are  on  subordinate  and  non-essential  points f  Let  me  entreat 
your  candour,  my  Brethren,  while  I  point  out  the  fallacy  and 
danger  which  lurks  under  this  specious  profession  of  liberality. 
There  are  differences,  there  will  be  until  it  shall  please  the  great 
Head  of  the  Church  to  lead  all  his  people  to  glorify  him  with  one 
heart  and  one  mouth.  That  all  the  differences  among  Christians 
are  on  points  subordinate  and  non-essential,  is  an  unfounded 
assertion.  It  is  not  demanded  by  Christian  charity,  for  this  very 
reason,  because  it  is  unfounded.  Christian  charity  can  never 
demand  a  sacrifice  of  the  truth.  It  can  never  be  inconsistent  with 
Christian  charity  to  obey  inspired  injunctions ;  and  to  "hold  fast 
the  form  of  sound  words" ;  to  contend  earnestly  for  the  faith  once 
delivered  to  the  saints;  to  keep  the  unity  of  the  spirit;  and  to 


60  Pastoral  Letter.  [1815 

abide  in  the  fellowship  of  the  apostles ;  by  submitting  to  that  min- 
istry, which  in  pursuance  of  the  power  committed  to  them  by 
their  divine  Master,  they  are  constituted  in  the  Church.  What 
that  form  of  sound  words,  that  faith,  that  fellowship  are  Chris- 
tian communities  must  determine  for  themselves.  But  this  deter- 
mination being  made  each  member  of  that  community  is  bound 
as  well  by  the  principles  of  social  order  as  by  the  sacred  claims 
of  truth,  not  merely  to  act  in  conformity  to  this  determination, 
but  to  justify  and  advocate  it,  until,  he  is  convinced  after  full  and 
honest  inquiry  that  it  is  erroneous. 

Christian  charity  is  violated  not  by  contending  for  what  each 
individual  deems  the  truth,  but  by  conducting  the  contest  under 
the  influence  of  an  improper  spirit.  In  this  alone  consists  that 
bigotry  with  which  the  advocate  of  controverted  opinions  is  gen- 
erally branded,  however  mild  and  catholic  his  spirit,  and  decorous 
and  liberal  his  manner. 

To  apply  these  remarks  to  the  case  of  Episcopalians.  They 
are  distinguished  from  other  denominations,  among  other  things 
by  three  orders  in  the  ministry,  Bishops,  Priests  and  Deacons, 
which  they  declare  have  been  since  the  apostles'  times ;  and  by  a 
Liturgy,  or  form  of  prayer,  which  they  think,  is  sanctioned  by 
apostolic  and  primitive  usage ;  and  as  to  its  materials,  is  in  great 
part  of  primitive  origin,  and  of  unequalled  excellence.  Is  it  not 
a  dictate  of  prudence,  to  decline  associations  which  may  insensi- 
bly weaken  his  attachment  to  these  principles,  and  in  which  he 
may  be  compelled  either  to  act  inconsistently  with  them,  or  to 
engage  in  unpleasant  collision  with  those  who  think  differently 
from  himself?  It  is  certainly  correct  as  a  general  remark  that 
Christian  truth  and  Christian  harmony  are  best  preserved  when 
Christians  of  different  religious  communions  endeavour  to  ad- 
vance the  interests  of  religion  in  their  own  way. 

I  am  aware  that  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  whose 
stupendous  efforts  have  astonished  and  called  forth  the  homage 
of  the  world,  is  established  on  a  comprehensive  plan,  and  includes 
in  its  bosom  all  denominations  of  Christians.  But  there  may  be 
particular  reasons  which  render  such  a  measure  expedient  in  that 
country;  and  it  would  be  easy  to  point  out  many  circumstances 
which  exempt  the  Episcopal  interest  there  from  inconveniences 
and  dangers  to  which  it  would  be  here  subject  by  the  comprehen- 
sive plan.    Yet  so  impressed  were  the  members  of  the  British  and 


1816]  Pastoral  Letter.  61 

ForeigTi  Bible  Society  with  the  danger  to  which  they  would  be 
exposed,  either  of  committing  their  principles  or  of  violating 
Christian  harmony  that  they  have  taken  the  precaution  of  exclud- 
ing entirely  all  religious  exercises  from  their  meetings.  And  it 
is  a  remarkable  fact,  that  at  the  numerous  auxiliary  Societies 
there  is  no  praying  or  preaching  on  any  occasion.  This  precau- 
tion was  doubtless  designed  to  prevent  the  danger  of  those  col- 
lisions which  might  arise  from  the  variety  of  religious  opinions 
and  modes  of  worship. 

But  preaching  and  praying  enter  into  the  plans,  it  is  believed, 
of  all  Bible  Societies  in  this  country.  They  seem  to  be  constituted 
not  solely  for  the  purpose  of  distributing  Bibles  but  with  the  view 
of  uniting  the  various  denominations. 

In  all  associations  of  men  professing  different  principles  the 
most  numerous  will  silently,  gradually,  but  effectually  bear  sway 
and  perhaps  eventually  absorb  the  smaller  divisions,  considering 
how  numerous,  respectable  and  powerful  the  Presbyterian  de- 
nomination is  in  this  country,  and  considering  the  general  divi- 
sion between  those  who  receive  Episcopacy  and  those  who  are 
opposed  to  it,  between  those  who  adopt  a  liturgy  and  those  who 
reject  one,  it  is  not  difficult  to  determine  with  whom  in  any  asso- 
ciation would  be  the  strength  and  advantage  of  numbers. 

In  all  these  associations  the  minority  will  glide  insensibly  into 
the  larger  mass  unless  they  are  constantly  on  their  guard,  and 
then  their  safety  can  be  secured  only  by  a  tenaciousness  which 
may  incur  the  stigma  of  bigotry  and  interrupt  unity  and  har- 
mony. A  profession  of  liberality  pervades  all  such  associations 
which  renders  it  unfashionable,  unpleasant  and  unkind  for  the 
Episcopalian  to  doubt  the  equal  excellence  of  Presbytery  and 
Episcopacy,  of  extempore  worship  and  a  Liturgy. 

When  Episcopalians  are  brought  into  this  state  of  liberal  indif- 
ference, if  they  are  not  prepared  to  renounce  their  principles,  they 
are  at  least  deterred  from  laying  peculiar  stress  upon  them,  and 
from  advocating  and  enforcing  them.  The  power  of  habit  is 
wonderful,  and  the  progress  is  not  difficult  or  uncommon  from 
indifference  to  neglect,  and  even  to  dislike.     ******* 

Fidelity  to  our  principles,  and  an  earnest  desire  to  preserve 
Christian  harmony,  seem  to  justify  us  in  the  separate  manage- 
ment of  our  religious  concerns.  The  important  points  of  differ- 
ence among  Christians  should  never  interrupt  the  harmony  of 


62  Pastoral  Letter.  [1815 

social  and  domestic  intercourse,  nor  check  the  exercise  of  Chris- 
tian benevolence. 

We  should  always  be  ready  to  do  homage  to  the  talents  and 
piety  of  individuals  of  all  denominations  and  to  the  zeal  with 
which  their  efforts  are  consecrated  to  the  Master's  glory  and  the 
diffusion  of  sacred  truth.  We  wish  to  emulate  them  in  this  holy 
work,  we  wish  to  rise  to  efforts  of  equal  power  and  effect,  we 
wish  to  be  co-workers  with  them  in  the  extensive  field  of  Gospel 
benevolence.  We  only  desire  to  be  permitted  without  the  imputa- 
tion of  bigotry  to  proceed  according  to  our  own  principles  and 
views,  perfectly  persuaded  that  differing  as  it  is  our  misfortune 
to  do,  with  other  denominations  on  many  points  of  doctrine, 
Church  order,  and  public  worship,  this  separation  of  our  efforts 
is  the  best  mode  of  preserving  our  principles,  and  indeed  of  secur- 
ing Christian  harmony  and  charity.     ********* 

Where  is  the  Churchman  who  can  be  indifferent  to  the  exten- 
sion of  his  Church,  who  can  refuse  to  contribute  to  the  diffusion 
of  that  pure  system  of  doctrine  and  worship  contained  in  the 
Book  of  Common  Prayer?  Where  is  the  Christian  who  has 
found  in  the  Bible  the  words  of  truth  and  consolation,  who  is  not 
animated  with  the  desire  to  open  to  all  men  this  divine  fountain 
of  life?  What  is  the  crime  of  withholding  relief  from  the  perish- 
ing body!  What  must  be  the  crime  of  withholding  salvation 
from  the  perishing  soul ! 

My  brethren,  let  not  this  crime  rest  on  your  consciences !  En- 
joying as  you  do  the  institutions  of  your  Church,  a  system  of 
divine  truth,  pure  and  evangelical,  and  means  of  grace  apostolic 
and  primitive,  let  not  others  less  favoured  excel  you  in  efforts  of 
liberality  and  zeal.  You  are  equal  to  them  in  individual  wealth, 
let  them  not  go  before  you  in  the  career  of  pious  beneficences.    • 

There  must  be  an  account  given  of  your  privileges;  and  re- 
member, of  those  to  whom  much  is  given  much  will  be  required. 

New- York,  April  3rd,  1815.  John  Henry  Hobart.* 

The    Bishop    received    the    cordial    approval    of    thoughtful 


I.  A  Pastoral  Letter  to  the  Laity  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in 
New  York,  on  the  subject  of  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Societies.  By 
John  Henry  Hobart,  D.D.,  Assistant  Bishop  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church  in  the  State  of  New- York. 


1815]  A  Layman's  Strictures.  63 

Churchmen,  and  of  some  not  of  this  Church,  both  in  letters  and 
personal  intercourse. 

There  was,  however,  much  adverse  criticism  of  the  Pastoral  in 
public  and  in  private.  "Charges  of  ambition,  formalism,  bigotry, 
and  persecution  were  freely  poured  out  against  him.  That  these 
were  made  by  men  equally  sincere  with  himself,  there  is  no  need 
to  question ;  but  that  in  truth  they  were  unfounded,  the  event,  and 
the  knowledge  of  his  private  character  may  sufficiently  show.'*^ 

The  opposition  soon  found  a  champion  in  "A  Layman,"  who 
wrote  his  "Strictures"  with  a  very  caustic  pen  and  in  a  spirit  of 
virulent  bitterness.  He  dedicates  his  pamphlet  to  the  New  York 
Bible  Society  and  the  Auxiliary  Bible  Society.  His  criticisms 
are  preceded  by  this  Introduction : 

Brethren, 

The  Bible  Society  of  Britain  first  appeared  a  "radiating  point  in 
the  bosom  of  the  ocean" ;  it  has  risen  like  the  sun  in  meridian 
splendour  to  warm,  cheer,  and  bless  the  world.  The  spark  en- 
kindled in  our  Western  hemisphere,  already  shines  a  star  of  the 
first  magnitude,  and  darts  its  benignant  rays  to  distant  shores. 
The  parent  Society  formed  like  the  Church  of  the  First  born, 
whose  names  are  written  in  Heaven,  of  Christians  of  every  name, 
but  bound  together  by  one  common  ligament  of  love  proclaimed 
the  message  announced  by  the  angelic  host,  "Glory  to  God  in  the 
highest;  on  earth  peace,  good  will  towards  men."  They  spread 
the  news  of  salvation  to  the  benighted  nations,  and  received  in 
their  own  bosoms  a  rich  recompense  of  reward.  Their  progress 
has  been  uninterrupted,  and  they  have  given  to  the  world  a 
specimen,  and  but  a  specimen,  of  what  Christians  when  united 
are  capable  of  effecting. 

You,  brethren,  are  treading  in  their  steps;  breathing  their 
spirit  and  contributing  your  exertions  to  the  one  great  aim,  you 
become  partakers  with  them  in  their  glory. 

As  a  member  of  your  Society  I  exult  in  my  privilege;  and  in 
the  ardour  of  affection  for  the  cause,  present  to  you  my  individual 
attempt  to  resist  the  spirit  of  disunion;  that  spirit  assiduously 
hatched  by  the  demon  of  party,  and  threatening  the  destruction 
of  all  those  kindly  and  benevolent  principles  that  have  hitherto 

I.    Dr.  McVickar's  Early  and  Professional  Years,  pp.  379,  380. 


84  A  Layman's  Strictures.  [1816 

marked  the  character  of  the  Bible  Society.  I  view  with  awful 
apprehensions,  the  approach  of  the  fiend  toward  the  fair  garden 
in  which  Christians,  by  the  sweetest  exercise  of  mutual  confidence 
and  mutual  forbearance,  have  partaken  of  its  pleasant  fruits,  and 
been  refreshed  with  the  streams  of  that  river  which  maketh  glad 
the  city  of  God. 

I  would  raise  my  warning  voice,  and  call  on  all  who  love  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity,  to  rally  round  the  standard  of  his 
Word,  and  hold  it  up  to  the  nations  in  its  native  simplicity,  purity 
and  grace. 

"Unadorned,  adorned  the  most." 

I  would  beseech  them  by  all  that  is  dear  to  the  Christian  heart, 
to  repel  the  first  suggestion  of  a  spirit  of  discord ;  it  is  the  spirit 
of  the  pit ;  and  though  it  comes  in  the  guise  of  an  angel  of  light, 
should  be  challenged  at  the  point  of  a  spear.  The  following 
pages  are  designed  to  expose  the  fallacy  of  those  arguments, 
which  would  persuade  Christians  that  their  principles  are  endan- 
gered by  union !  a  sentiment  so  repugnant  to  every  feeling  of  the 
Christian  and  every  dictrine  of  the  Gospel  that  it  needs  some  dis- 
guise to  shroud  its  deformity.  It  is  hoped  that  its  exposure  will 
be  sufficient  to  counteract  its  influence,  and  that  the  Bible  Society 
may  long  continue  the  nursery  of  that  fairest  grace  of  the  Chris- 
tian character — Charity. 

These  extracts  represent  fully  and  fairly  the  force  of  his  argu- 
ment and  the  power  of  his  invective : 

Strictures,  Etc. 

"Divide  and  Conquer"  is  a  maxim  of  universal  truth;  for  as 
union  of  effort  produces  the  most  stupendous  results,  so  scattered 
exertions,  however  well  meant  and  however  vigorous  never  can 
produce  effects  disproportioned  to  their  cause,  the  stream  cannot 
rise  higher  than  its  source.  This  a  first  principle,  a  fundamental 
law,  felt  and  acknowledged  by  men  in  every  age  and  country, 
and  hence  we  find,  wherever  anything  of  magnitude  is  to  be 
accomplished  men  have  always  resorted  to  the  combination  of 
their  powers  for  its  production.  In  this  is  seen  the  vast  advant- 
age of  the  social  principle  of  our  nature ;  and  it  exhibits,  at  once, 
the  wisdom  and  goodness  of  God  in  bidding  mankind  from  the 


1815]  A  Layman's  Strictures.  65 

very  necessity  of  their  being,  into  one  great  whole  where  the 
weakness  of  each  member  is  made  the  pledge  of  his  attachment 
and  the  support  derived  from  each  individual  to  the  common 
good  creates  a  mutual  dependence  resulting  in  the  harmony,  the 
security  and  the  happiness  of  all. 

It  may  therefore  be  held  as  an  axiom  that  whoever  would  seek 
to  disturb  this  grand  economy  and  interrupt  the  operation  of  this 
primary  law  of  action,  when  directed  to  beneficial  purposes  is  an 
enemy  of  the  common  good ;  and  by  whatever  plausibility  of  pre- 
text his  designs  may  be  covered,  this  single  feature  is  of  itself 
sufficient  to  detect  the  real  character  of  the  undertaking  when 
ambition  would  trample  on  the  rights  of  the  people,  and  erect  its 
standard  on  the  ruins  of  liberty,  its  first  approaches  have  uni- 
formly been  disguised.  The  inference  from  all  these  facts  is 
plain :  that  whatever  in  its  own  nature  has  a  tendency  to  prevent 
the  joint  exertions  of  men  engaged  in  a  good  cause  is  to  be  re- 
garded not  only  with  suspicion,  but  with  a  determined  frown;  is 
to  be  met  not  only  by  mild  response  but  resolute  opposition. 

It  is  with  these  impressions  that  I  feel  constrained  from  a 
conviction  of  duty  to  notice  the  attempts  of  the  right  reverend 
assistant  Bishop  of  the  Episcopal  Church  in  this  city,  to  draw  off 
from  the  great  body  of  Christians,  engaged  in  the  noble  design 
of  spreading  the  Scriptures,  a  large  and  respectable  proportion  of 
brethren  in  the  Common  Salvation,  and  to  martial  them  under 
the  banner  of  a  particular  sect.  I  have  read  with  great  attention 
all  he  has  urged  under  colour  of  argument  for  unanimity,  and 
zeal  for  the  truth,  in  behalf  of  such  a  separation,  and  blush  even 
at  the  recollection  of  its  imbecility. 

Coming  from  a  person  so  distinguished  for  talents  as  this  gen- 
tleman is  allowed  to  be,  it  affords  a  conclusive  proof  of  the  bad- 
ness of  his  cause,  if  indeed  such  a  proof  could  be  necessary.  It 
matters  not  how  desperate  the  attempt,  advocates  may  always  be 
found,  whether  influenced  by  local  or  personal  interest,  or  swayed 
by  prejudices  or  misled  by  erropeous  conceptions;  and  hence  it 
did  not  surprise  me  to  find  a  second  champion  coming  out  on  the 
same  side,  and  echoing  the  same  statements 

The  first  thing  that  must  strike  the  reader  of  Dr.  Hobart's  let- 
ter is  the  caution  with  which  his  subject  is  introduced.  He  writes 
not  to  expose  himself  alone  to  animadversion,  for  attempting  to 
draw  off  a  tributary  stream  from  pouring  its  waters  into  the 
(S) 


66  A  Layman's  Strictures.  [ISIS- 

great  river  of  life,  whose  majestic  course  he  affects  so  much  to 
admire;  he  is  aware  that  such  an  attempt  is  most  ungracious  and 
accordingly  raises  a  shield  of  unknown  dimensions  against  which 
the  arrows  of  rebuke  and  expostulation  may  strike  innoxious,  he 
is  requested  by  some  of  his  clergy  in  the  western  part  of  the  state, 
to  explain  and  enforce  their  pious  and  benevolent  design,  in  a 
pastoral  address;  he  does  not  indeed  issue  a  papal  bull;  it  goes 
for  the  present  by  another  name,  and  is  modestly  styled  a  compli- 
ance with  a  request  to  explain  and  enforce  the  wishes  of  some 
clergymen  of  his  own  denomination,  in  their  co-operation  with  a 
Society,  originally  set  on  foot  in  this  city ;  thus  drawing  the  circle 
in  a  manner  well  calculated  to  give  the  greatest  effect  to  indi- 
vidual influence. 

Aware,  too,  of  the  weight  of  objection  which  would  lie  against 
the  proposed  plan  of  separate  interest,  the  prudent  pastor  prefaces 
it  with  a  eulogium  on  the  Scriptures ;  showing  that  the  Bible  pro- 
vides for  the  life  which  is  to  come,  and  secures  the  individual  and 
general  happiness  of  man  in  this  life;  and  also  as  the  courtier, 
who  means  to  deny  a  request  first  soothes  the  feelings  by  great 
civility  and  ardent  professions  of  friendship;  so  this  high  com- 
mendation of  the  Bible  is  made  the  passport  to  still  more  exalted 
strains  in  favour  of  the  Psalter,  which  have  a  direct  tendency  to 
impeach,  if  not  the  value  of  the  Scriptures,  yet  at  least  the  wis- 
dom of  their  distribution  unless  accompanied  by  that  invaluable 
digest,  in  which  its  truths  are  arranged  in  lucid  order,  set  forth 
with  the  most  perspicuous  simplicity,  embellished  with  all  the 
graces  of  diction  and  animated  by  the  purest  and  most  sublime 

fervours  of  devotion It  is  curious  to  see  with  what 

art  he  endeavours  to  involve  the  arguments  for  the  Prayer  Book 
with  those  which  properly  apply  to  the  Bible  alone;  the  feeble 
vine  does  not  more  closely  twine  itself  around  the  majestic  oak, 
than  this  frail  production  of  poor  worms  of  the  dust  is  made  to 
cling  to  the  sacred  Word  of  God,  and,  while  it  spreads  itself  over 
the  trunk  impedes  the  circulation  of  the  vital  current 

Can  there  be  any  longer  a  doubt  as  to  the  real  design  of  this 

"Pastoral  Letter"?    Is  it  not  manifest  that  it  is  prompted  by  a 

narrow  jealousy  that  trembles  for  the  fate  of  the  hierarchy,  if  its 

members  are  allowed,  in  this  country,  the  same  liberty  that  they 

enjoy  on  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic,  of  meeting  with  other 

Christians  in  Bible  Societies? — by  the  fear  of  being  absorbed, 
♦  ♦****** 


1815]  An  Episcopalian*8  Answer.  67 

God  forbid  that  any  consideration  of  policy,  however  speci- 
ously advanced,  however  cloaked  by  professions  of  respect  and 
attachment,  should  operate  in  this  our  favoured  land  to  divide  the 
great  Christian  interest  in  the  prosecution  of  so  exalted  a  plan 
that  any  jealousy  of  sect  should  alienate  the  minds  of  Christians 
engaged  in  so  august  an  enterprise;  but  animated  by  one  spirit, 
and  pursuing  one  aim,  may  their  conduct  demonstrate  to  all  the 
world,  that  however  divided  by  name,  Christians  are  still  one, 
brethren  of  one  family,  members  of  one  body,  heirs  of  one  glory, 
and  united  to  one  living  Head,  are  only  emulous  to  show  forth 
the  praises  of  Him  who  hath  called  them  "out  of  darkness  into 
his  marvellous  light"^ 

A  much  more  temperate  "answer"  was  written  by  "an  Episco- 
palian," of  whom  Dr.  McVickar  says  that  he  was  "one,  who,  if 
report  rightly  indicates  the  author,  was  the  very  last  who  should 
have  found  fault  with  an  act  of  unpopular  official  independence 
in  another,  as  being  himself  one  whose  whole  course  has  exhibited 
the  same  conscientiousness  in  judgment,  and  fearlessness  in  duty 
with  him  whom  he  here  opposed ;  whose  motto  like  that  of  Bishop 
Hobart  has  ever  been  'fiat  justitia,  ruat  coelum.'  "^ 

He  thus  commences  his  "Answer,"  and  sets  forth  the  proposi- 
tions he  attempts  to  prove : 

Answers^  Etc. 

Right  Reverend  Sir, 

Born  and  educated  in  the  bosom  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  1 
am  not  conscious  of  any  feelings  towards  her  form  of  govern- 
ment, her  articles,  or  her  rites,  but  those  of  veneration  and  affec- 
tion. Deeply  interested  in  whatever  concerns  my  church,  I  have 
perused  your  late  Pastoral  Letter  to  her  members,  with  all  the 
attention  due  to  a  communication  emanating  from  such  a  source ; 
and  regret  to  say,  that  the  impression  made  on  my  mind,  was, 
that  it  would  tend  to  lower  the  character  of  the  church  over  which 


1.  Strictures  on  a  Pastoral  Letter  to  the  Laity  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church,  on  the  subject  of  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Societies.  By 
John  Henry  Hobart,  D.D.,  Assistant  Bishop  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church  in  the  State  of  New  York.    By  a  Layman,    pp.  3-5,  7-9,  18,  19. 

2.  Dr.  McVickar's  Eearly  and  Professional  Years,  p.  379. 


68  An  Episcopalian's  Answer.  [1815 

you  preside,  and  by  contracting  the  circulation  of  the  Scriptures, 
affect,  in  some  degree,  the  cause  of  rehgion  itself.  While,  Sir,  I 
thus  candidly,  and  I  hope  not  disrespectfully,  express  this  opinion 
of  your  Letter,  suffer  me  to  say,  that  of  the  sincerity  and  purity 
of  the  motives  which  dictated  it,  I  entertain  not  the  slightest 
doubt. 

There  will,  as  you  justly  observe,  be  differences  among  Chris- 
tians, "until  it  shall  please  the  great  Head  of  the  Church  to  lead 
all  his  people  to  glorify  him  with  one  heart  and  one  mouth" ;  and 
yor  are  not  now  to  learn,  that  on  the  subject  of  your  Letter  there 
are  many  and  important  differences  among  Episcopalians  them- 
selves; and  what  may  seem  more  extraordinary,  even  among 
their  Bishops.  I  shall  not,  therefore,  I  trust  be  deemed  either 
presumptuous  or  disrespectful,  in  venturing  to  oppose  sentiments 
sanctioned  by  your  name,  when  it  is  recollected,  that  these  same 
sentiments  are  discountenanced  by  a  large  portion  of  the  bishops, 
clergy,  and  members  of  the  Church  in  England,  and  by  many 
eminent  clergymen  and  laymen  of  the  Church  in  this  country. 

I  will  endeavour,  in  the  following  letter,  to  establish  these 
three  positions,  viz. 

I.  That  the  Prayer-Book  was  not  designed,  and  is  not  calcu- 
lated, to  answer  the  purpose  of  a  religious  tract,  to  accompany 
the  Bible  in  its  universal  distribution. 

II.  That  in  order  that  Episcopalians  may  be  amply  supplied 
with  a  book  so  necessary  for  them,  Prayer-Book  Societies  should 
appropriate  no  part  of  their  funds  to  the  purchase  of  Bibles. 

in.  That  it  is  the  interest  and  duty  of  Episcopalians,  to  unite 
with  their  fellow-christians  of  all  denominations,  in  spreading  the 
knowledge  of  the  Word  of  God.^ 

While  maintaining  the  sentiment  then  prevalent  that  "it  was 
the  interest  and  duty  of  Episcopalians  to  unite  with  their  fellow 
Christians  in  spreading  the  knowledge  of  the  Word  of  God,"  and 
citing  the  very  active  work  of  Dr.  Bathurst,  Bishop  of  Norwich, 
for  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  "An  Episcopalian" 
argues  for  exclusive  societies  for  the  distribution  of  the  Prayer 
Book  within  the  Church. 

A  reply  was  made  to  him  by  "Another  Episcopalian,"  whom 

I.  An  Answer  to  Bishop  Hobart's  Pastoral  Letter  on  the  subject  of 
Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Societies.    By  An  Episcopalian. 


1815]        Reply  by  "Another  Episcopalian."  69 

his  biographer  identifies  with  Bishop  Hobart  himself.  After  an 
expression  of  his  satisfaction  that  the  writer  appreciates  and 
loves  his  Prayer  Book,  he  traverses  the  argument  that  it  should 
not  be  distributed  with  the  Bible  by  showing  that  it  would  be  the 
readiest  way  to  strengthen  and  cherish  the  attachment  to  the 
Church  of  those  already  favourably  disposed  to  it.  Placed  in  the 
hands  of  those  "who  object  to  our  form  of  government  and  dis- 
approve of  our  sacraments  and  rites,  this  would  be  one  of  the 
most  effectual  methods  of  giving  them  correct  views  of  our  prin- 
ciples, disabusing  them  of  their  prejudices  and  subduing  their 
opposition."^ 

The  Bishop  considers  at  length  the  case  of  the  heathen  who 
may  be  perplexed  with  the  variety  of  Christian  teaching,  who 
would  find  in  the  Prayer  Book  "the  best  key  to  the  proper  under- 
standing of  the  Scriptures,  improving  and  confirming  the  knowl- 
edge which  the  Bible  gives  of  their  Saviour,  and  at  the  same  time 
furnishing  them  with  the  most  affecting  invocations  to  implore 
the  mercy  of  that  Saviour  on  their  perishing  souls."^ 

He  thus  continues :  "One  invaluable  characteristic  of  our 
liturgy,  is  its  admirable  fitness,  not  only  for  worship,  but  instruc- 
tion. It  is  not  only  a  guide  to  devotion  but  a  formulary  of  faith; 
a  correct  exhibition  of  evangelical  doctrine,  in  language  gratify- 
ing to  the  taste  of  the  most  refined,  and  level  to  the  capacity  of 
the  most  humble,  enlightening  the  understanding  and  swaying 
the  affections  of  the  heart.  Can  a  book  unrivalled  in  its  simple, 
correct  and  forcible  display  of  the  truths  contained  in  the  Bible, 
be  an  unfit  companion  to  this  sacred  volume?  The  Prayer  Book 
is  the  best  religious  tract  that  can  accompany  the  Bible."* 

The  eulogium  of  the  Bishop  of  Norwich  for  his  "warm  com- 
mendations" of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  draw  forth 
from  the  Bishop  this  criticism  : 

"Christian  liberality  extends  its  charity  not  to  opinions,  but  to 
men ;  judging  candidly  of  their  motives,  their  character  and  con- 
duct. Tenacious  of  what  it  deems  truth,  it  earnestly  endeavours 
in  the  spirit  of  Christian  kindness  to  reclaim  others  from  errof. 
But  there  is  a  spurious  liberality  whose  tendency  is  to  confound 
entirely  the  boundaries  between  truth  and  error. 


1.  "A  Reply,"  as  quoted.  Dr.  Berrian's  "Memoir."    Vol.  I.  p.  171. 

2.  Ibid. 

3.  Ibid. 


70  Reply  by  ''Another  Episcopalian."        [1815 

"It  acts  under  the  influence  of  the  maxim,  not  less  pernicious, 
because  it  allures  in  the  following  harmony  of  numbers : 

"  'For  modes  of  faith  let  gracious  zealots  fight, 
He  can't  be  wrong,  whose  life  is  right.' 

"Christian  unity  is  a  fundamental  principle  of  the  Gospel  and 
schism  a  deadly  sin.  But  Christian  unity  is  to  be  obtained  not  by 
a  dishonorable  concealment  or  abandonment  of  principle,  where 
there  is  no  real  change  of  opinion,  nor  even  by  an  union  in  doc- 
trine, could  such  an  union  be  sincerely  effected,  of  religious  sects 
who  continue  to  differ  in  regard  to  the  ministry  of  the  Church. 
The  Episcopalian  believes,  in  the  language  of  the  Church:  that 
Bishops,  Priests  and  Deacons  have  been  from  the  Apostles'  times ; 
that  God  by  his  providence  and  Holy  Spirit  appointed  these 
Orders.  He  knows  no  Christian  unity  but  in  submission  to  this 
ministry.  Judging  the  heart,  and  still  less  determining  the  final 
destiny  of  no  individual,  he  deems  it  his  duty  to  avoid  and  dis- 
countenance separation  from  this  ministry  which  he  considers  the 
sin  of  schism,  that  sin  from  which  in  the  Litany  of  the  Church 
he  prays  to  be  delivered.  He  declines  with  mildness  and  pru- 
dence but  with  decision  and  firmness,  all  proffered  compromises 
and  associations  which  do  not  recognize  these  orders  of  the  min- 
istry, and  which  may  tend  to  weaken  his  attachment  to  the  dis- 
tinctive principles  of  his  own  Church.  He  respects  the  con- 
sciences of  others.  He  guards  their  rights,  but  he  will  not  sacri- 
fice or  endanger  his  own.  He  defends  and  enforces  these  true 
principles  of   Christian   unity  which  characterizes  his   Church. 

"He  does  his  duty  and  leaves  the  rest  to  God — in  the  prayer 
and  in  the  belief  that  the  gracious  Head  of  the  Church  will,  in 
his  own  good  time,  overcome  the  errors,  the  prejudices  and  the 
passions  of  men,  to  the  advancement  of  Christian  fellowship  and 
peace ;  so  that  at  length,  the  whole  of  his  dispersed  sheep  shall  be 
gathered  under  one  Shepherd,  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."^ 

With  this  reply  the  controversy  ended  for  a  time.'' 

It  was  very  pleasing  to  Bishop  Hobart  that  in  several  of  the 

1.  Dr.  Berrian's  Memoir,  p.  173. 

2.  The  full  title  of  the  Bishop's  pamphlet  is:  A  Reply  to  An  Answer 
to  Bishop  Hobart's  Pastoral  Letter  on  the  subject  of  Bible  and  Common 
Prayer  Book  Societies:  in  a  Letter  addressed  to  the  Author  of  An  Answer, 
by  Another  Episcopalian. 


1815]  Letter  from  Judge  Emott.  71 

counties  of  the  Diocese  Societies  were  now  organized.  These 
letters  from  Judge  Emott  of  Poughkeepsie  and  the  Rev.  John 
McVickar,  then  at  Hyde  Park,  show  how  the  Dutchess  County 
Society  was  formed. 

Poughkeepsie,  June  19,  181 5. 
My  dear  Sir, 

An  intimation  of  a  wish  on  your  part  that  I  should  engage  in 
the  formation  of  a  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  for 
this  county,  would  have  been  quite  sufficient  to  have  made  me 
embark  with  all  necessary  zeal  in  the  undertaking,  and  I  needed 
not  therefore  the  reasoning  of  the  pastoral  letter,  for  which  I 
however  thank  you. 

It  happens  that  measures  have  already  been  taken  by  Mr.  Reed 
and  Mr.  McVickar  under  your  printed  letter  for  an  association 
and  your  plan  will  be  carried  into  effect  to  the  extent  of  your 
wishes.  The  opposition  you  have  met  with  and  which  I  fear  has 
given  you  some  uneasiness  has  made  no  impression  here  by  those 
to  whom  it  is  known.  Permit  me  to  remind  you  that  in  aid  to 
the  Societies  for  the  distributing  the  Common  Prayer  Book, 
measures  should  be  adopted  to  have  it  printed  in  cheap  form  and 
in  great  numbers.  The  funds  of  the  Societies  in  the  County  will 
necessarily  be  small  and  unless  the  most  is  made  of  them  the 
benefit  to  be  derived  from  the  Societies  will  be  nothing  worth.  I 
am  not  myself  acquainted  with  any  cheap  and  good  edition  of  the 
book  which  remains  in  any  considerable  number,  and  I  would 
suggest  the  propriety  of  getting  up  one  or  more  new  editions.  If 
this  is  thought  advisable  my  neighbour  Mr.  Potter  who  is  one  of 
our  vestry  may  be  induced  to  engage  in  the  undertaking,  and  if 
he  does  it  will  be  done  well,  expeditiously  and  cheaply. 

Present  my  best  respects  to  Mrs.  Hobart  and  believe  me  to 
remain. 

With  the  highest  respect. 

Yours  most  faithfully, 

James  Emott. ^ 

Hyde  Park,  5th  July,  18 15. 
Right  Revd.  &  Dear  Sir, 

I  am  happy  to  inform  you  that  we  have  organized 

I.    Hobart  MSS.    General  Convention  Archives. 


72  Letter  from  T.  Clowes.  [1815 

a  Bible  &  Prayer  Book  Society  on  the  Principles  you  mention. 
I  am  this  day  just  returned  from  attending  its  first  meeting.  Our 
Church  has  the  honour  of  giving  it  its  President  in  Dr.  Bard, 
whose  zeal  &  liberality  for  the  Church  I  think  deserved  the  com- 
pliment. 

The  alteration  of  the  constitution  of  these  Societies  by  making 
them  Assistant  Bible  Societies,  is  a  great  practical  improvement, 
it  will  render  them  more  popular  at  any  rate  &  satisfy  the  scruples 
of  a  great  man. 

The  Rector  of  Saint  Peter's,  Albany,  who  was  already  active 
in  the  General  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  of 
Albany  and  Vicinity,  which  had  been  organized  soon  after  the 
parent  Society  in  New  York,  now  used  his  energy  to  promote  a 
parish  society.  It  was  soon  after  formally  organized  and  re- 
mained in  active  existence  until  1830. 

Albany,  12th  August,  18 15. 
Gentlemen — 

With  great  pleasure  I  forward  you  a  copy  of  the  Constitution 
of  our  Society;  although  it  is  expected  that  we  shall  reorganize 
this  Spring  under  another  constitution,  or  this  somewhat  modi- 
fied. We  have  found  some  difficulty  in  not  having  the  customary 
officers.  We  shall  probably  make  the  lieutenant  Governor,  Presi- 
dent, and  some  of  the  clergy  Vice  Presidents,  but  put  the  whole 
under  the  patronage  of  the  Ecclesiastical  Authority  of  the  Dio- 
cese. 

During  the  last  Winter  and  before,  we  have  obtained  a  num- 
ber of  Prayer  Books  by  way  of  presents  from  the  Booksellers 
and  others  in  the  City,  and  have  bought  several  hundred  from 
Mr.  Norman.  We  shall  probably  have  need  to  purchase  some 
this  Summer.  If  we  do,  I  will  endeavour  to  induce  the  commit- 
tee to  purchase  of  you.  I  am  sorry  you  did  not  send  a  greater 
number  of  the  Forms  of  Prayer  and  Thanksgiving.  We  have 
had  five  hundred  printed  in  this  city. 

In  great  haste,  I  am.  Gentlemen, 

Yours  truly  and  sincerely, 
Messrs.  T.  &  J.  Swords,  T.  Clowes.* 


I.    Hobart  MSS.  General  Convention  Archives. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

CONTENTS. 

The  Rev.  Barzillai  Bulkley  and  the  Flushing  Bible  Society  —  His  Letter  to 
Bishop  Hobart  —  Effect  of  the  Bishop's  Pastoral  —  Formation  of  the  Auxili- 
ary New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  —  Its  Constitution  — 
Annual  Meeting  of  the  Parent  Society,  1816  —  Election  of  Officers  —  Meeting 
of  the  Auxiliary  in  Trinity  Church  —  Address  by  Bishop  Hobart  —  Purchase 
of  French  Bibles  —  Co-operation  of  the  Two  New  York  Prayer  Book  So- 
cieties —  Stereotype  Plates  for  Prayer  Book  Proposed  —  Their  Manufacture 

—  Discussions  as  to  Advisability  of  a  General  Bible  Society  —  Memoir  on 
the  Subject  by  William  Jay  —  Meeting  of  Delegates  in  New  York  —  General 
Bible  Society  Formed  —  Officers  Elected  —  Constitution  Adopted  —  Address 
to  the  Public  —  Address  by  Bishop  Hobart  —  His  Opposition  to  Church- 
men Joining  the  Bible  Society  —  William  Jay's  Reply  to  the  Bishop's  Ad- 
dress —  His  Appeal  to  Christians  on  Behalf  of  the  American  Bible  Society 

—  Effect  on  Churchmen  of  Bishop  Hobart's  Address  —  Letters  from  the 
Rev.  Dr.  James  Abercrombie  and  "J-  B.  W." 

THE  Reverend  Barzillai  Bulkley,  who  was  for  many  years 
the  faithful  Rector  of  St.  George's  Church,  Flushing,  on 
Long  Island,  describes  with  a  keen  sense  of  the  humours  of 
the  situation,  the  manner  in  which  the  Flushing  Bible  So- 
ciety was  formed.  The  difficulties  encountered  in  providing  a 
basis  for  the  common  worship  of  various  Protestant  denomina- 
tions are  undoubtedly  typical  of  those  found  elsewhere  and  amply 
confirm  the  opinion  of  Bishop  Hobart  that  any  union  for  such 
work  was  incongruous. 

Flushing,  21  Sept.,  181 5. 
Rt  Rev.  and  Dr  Sir, 

I  write  merely  to  state  to  you  some  circumstances  which  trans- 
pired yesterday  at  the  Court  House,  relative  to  the  establishment 
of  a  Bible  Society.  Various  denominations  met,  and  at  the  first 
outset  some  of  the  Presbyterians  proposed  prayer;  it  was  ob- 
jected to  and  they  did  not  succeed : — but  instead  they  agreed  to 
have  a  portion  read  from  the  Bible.  A  Dutch  clergyman  was 
called  on,  and  what  was  pleasing,  he  hit  upon  one  of  the  Psalms 
contained  in  our  Liturgy — God  be  merciful  unto  us  and  bless  us, 
&c. 

73 


74  Auxiliary  Society  Founded.  [1815 

When  they  came  to  adopt  a  Constitution,  they  agreed  in  an 
article  to  have  the  meetings  of  the  Society  begin  and  end  with  a 
chapter  in  the  Bible.  This  is  all  the  religious  exercise  they  ?.re 
going  to  have,  and  I  must  say  such  an  arrangement  as  this  I 
could  not  help  being  pleased  with. 

After  they  got  through  the  Constitution  I  came  away,  and 
what  further  they  have  done  I  do  not  know : — but  it  is  my  de- 
tennination  not  to  have  anything  to  do  with  its  management  and 
direction — I  shall  only  give  my  mite  as  an  individual  merely 
upon  the  principle  of  its  being  established  upon  the  basis  of  the 
exclusion  of  any  religious  exercises  but  that  of  reading  the  Bible 
at  the  opening  and  close  of  the  different  meetings  of  the  Society, 
and  of  its  being  an  aid  to  our  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book 
Society,  as  it  will  supercede  the  necessity  of  our  purchasing  such 
a  large  number  of  Bibles,  and  thereby  enable  us  with  our  funds 
to  procure  a  greater  number  of  Prayer  Books. 

Viewing  it  in  this  light,  Presbyterians,  Quakers,  &c.,  will  aid 
our  Bible  and  Prayer  Book  Society,  although  they  may  not  be 
aware  of  it: — we  shall  put  a  greater  number  of  Prayer  Books 
into  circulation.^ 

The  glowing  and  heartfelt  words  of  the  Bishop  in  his  Pas- 
toral had  upon  the  young  men  of  the  Church  an  immediate  and 
lasting  effect,  and  brought  about  one  of  the  earliest  laymen's 
movements  in  the  American  Church.  Some  of  the  young  men  of 
Trinity  Parish  with  several  from  the  other  city  parishes  deter- 
mined that  they  could  effectively  aid  the  cause  of  Prayer  Book 
distribution,  and  that  their  money,  energy  and  business  ability, 
should  be  freely  given  for  this  purpose. 

Among  those  active  in  this  new  enterprise  for  the  Church 
were  Clement  C.  Moore,  Luther  Bradish,  Edward  R.  Jones, 
Cornelius  R.  Duffie,  Wm.  E.  Dunscomb,  David  A.  Clarkson,  Dr. 
John  Watts,  Duncan  P.  Campbell,  John  H.  Hill,  Lewis  Loutrel, 
David  Austin,  Ferris  Pell,  Alexis  P.  Proal,  John  Anthon,  Jona- 
than Goodhue,  Charles  Nichols,  Charles  Keeler,  Robert  C.  Barfe, 
Floyd  Smith,  Benjamin  Haight,  William  Onderdonk. 

Anyone  who  knows  New  York  will  recognize  in  this  list  the 
names  of  men    who    as    Churchmen    and    citizens    contributed 


I.    Hobart  MSS.    Archives  of  the  General  Convention. 


1816]  Constitution  of  Auxiliary.  75 

largely  to  the  religious  and  moral  life  of  the  city.  John  Henry 
Hill  we  know  less  as  the  pious  layman  than  as  that  patient  mis- 
sionary, who  in  Athens  revived  the  spiritual  life  of  that  ancient 
seat  of  civilization  and  organized  the  educational  system  of  the 
present  Kingdom  of  Greece. 

After  some  preliminary  and  informal  gatherings  the  meet- 
ing for  organization  was  held  on  January  26,  18 16,  and  this 
Constitution  adopted : 

Constitution. 

Article  I. 

This  Society  shall  be  known  and  distinguished  by  the  name  of 
the  Auxiliary  Nezv-York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  So- 
ciety; and  its  object  shall  be  to  aid  the  "Bible  and  Common  Prayer 
Book  Society,"  established  in  the  City  of  New  York,  in  the  year 
of  our  Lord,  1809,  in  the  distribution  of  the  Bible  and  Book  of 
Common  Prayer. 

Article  11. 

Every  person  wishing  to  become  a  member  of  this  Society 
must  be  proposed  at  a  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Managers;  if  no 
objection  be  offered,  he  shall  be  admitted;  if  objection  be  made, 
he  can  be  admitted  only  by  the  vote  of  two-thirds  of  the  men]bers 
present  at  said  meeting  of  the  Board. 

No  person  shall  be  admitted  to  the  privilege  of  membership 
until  he  pays  the  sum  of  two  dollars  to  the  Treasury. 

Every  member  shall  also  pay  the  sum  of  two  dollars  per 
annum,  which  shall  entitle  him  to  one  Bible  and  one  Prayer 
Book  (or  to  three  Prayer  Books,  at  his  option)  annually.  For 
every  additional  sum  of  one  dollar  and  fifty  cents  per  annum,  a 
member  shall  be  entitled  to  an  additional  Bible  and  Prayer  Book. 

The  subscriptons  shall  fall  due  to  the  Society,  and  the  Bibles 
and  Prayer  Books  to  the  members,  on  the  day  of  the  annual 
meeting  of  the  Society. 

No  book  shall  be  delivered  to  any  member  until  his  dues  be 
fully  paid.  And  if  such  dues  be  not  paid  in  less  than  one  month 
after  the  annual  meeting,  the  books  apportioned  to  the  delinquent 
shall  be  considered  as  forfeited  to  the  Society.  If  the  dues  be 
paid,  but  the  books  not  claimed  in  less  than  said  month,  they 


76  Constitution  of  Auxiliary.  [1816 

shall  (in  this  case  also)  be  considered  as  at  the  disposal  of  the 
Society. 

The  sum  subscribed  by  any  member  may  be  paid  annually, 
semi-annually,  or  quarterly,  at  his  option. 

Provided,  that  those  members  who  pay  their  dues  in  advance 
shall  be  entitled  to  their  proportion  of  books  at  or  after  the  time 
of  payment  within  the  above  limitations. 

Females  who  contribute  the  same  sums  as  members  shall  be 
considered  subscribers,  and  be  entitled  to  books  under  the  oper- 
ation of  the  above  rules. 

Article  III. 

The  business  of  the  Society  shall  be  conducted  by  a  Board  of 
Managers,  members  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  con- 
sisting of  a  President ;  a  first,  a  second,  and  a  third  Vice  Presi- 
dent ;  a  Corresponding  Secretary,  a  Recording  Secretary,  a  Treas- 
urer, an  Agent,  and  eighteen  Managers,  to  be  chosen  by  a  plur- 
ality of  votes  of  the  members  present  at  the  annual  meeting,  to 
be  held  on  the  Festival  of  the  Conversion  of  St.  Paul,  or  on  the 
following  day,  if  that  festival  fall  on  Sunday,  at  such  time  and 
place  as  the  Board  may  appoint,  of  which  public  notice  shall  be 
given. 

The  Bishop  of  the  Diocess  of  New- York  shall  have  an  hon- 
orary seat  at  all  meetings  of  the  Board  and  Society,  and  shall 
be  entitled  to  one-fifth  of  the  Bibles  and  Prayer  Books  at  the 
disposal  of  the  Society. 

Clergymen  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  resident  in 
the  City  of  New-York,  who  may  be  members  of  this  Society, 
shall  be  entitled  to  seats  at  the  Board  of  Managers  as  honorary 
members. 

The  Board  shall  meet  on  the  Wednesday  next  after  their 
election,  and  at  such  other  times  (not  less  than  once  in  two 
months)  as  they  may  appoint,  and  seven  members  shall  consti- 
tute a  quorum  : — Provided,  that  one  or  more  attending  at  the  time 
and  place  of  a  meeting,  regularly  called,  shall  be  able  to  adjourn. 

The  Board  shall  make  all  laws  necessary  for  the  government 
of  the  Society,  and  shall  cause  a  statement  of  the  receipts  and 
expenditures  of  money,  and  of  their  proceedings  generally,  to 
be  laid  before  the  Society  at  the  annual  meeting.  A  copy  of 
this  report  shall  also  be  transmitted  to  the  Bible  and  Common 


1816]  Constitution  of  Auxiliary.  77 

Prayer  Book  Society  of  New- York,  and  another  copy  to  the 
Bishop  of  this  Diocese. 

All  vacancies  in  this  Board,  occasioned  by  the  resignation  or 
otherwise,  between  the  stated  meetings  of  the  Society,  shall  be 
supplied  by  the  Board. 

Article  IV. 

The  Constitution  of  this  Society  shall  be  unalterable,  except 
by  a  vote  of  two-thirds  of  the  members  present  at  the  annual 
meeting.^ 

In  the  meantime  the  parent  society  went  on  quietly  with  its 
work,  rejoicing  that  such  a  helper  had  been  given  to  it.  At  the 
meeting  of  the  Managers  held  on  February  7,  181 6,  the  sum  of 
$436.00  was  voted  to  be  expended  in  equal  proportions  for 
Bibles  and  Prayer  Books. 

The  annual  meeting  is  thus  recorded : 

February  the  27th,  1816. 

This  being  the  day  appointed  by  the  Constitution  for  the 
annual  meeting  of  the  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society, 
the  meeting  was  accordingly  held  in  Trinity  Church.  The 
president  took  the  chair.  The  report  of  the  Board  of  Managers 
for  the  past  year  was  read. 

On  motion,  Resolved,  That  the  said  Report  be  referred  to  the 
Board  of  Managers  to  be  disposed  of  as  they  may  see  proper. 

The  Society  then  proceeded  to  the  annual  election  of  ten  lay- 
men to  be  connected  with  the  clergy  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church  of  this  city  as  managers.  The  following  gentlemen 
were  chosen,  viz:  Matthew  M.  Clarkson,  David  B.  Ogden,  Gu- 
lian  Ludlow,  Robert  Troup,  George  Dominick,  Henry  Rogers, 
John  Slidell,  John  Onderdonk,  Isaac  Carrow,  William  Bayard. 

Adjourned. 

The  Rev.  Thomas  Lyell,  of  Christ  Church,  who  had  served 
as  Secretary  from  its  organization,  resigned  his  position  at  the 
meeting  of  the  Board  of  Managers  on  the  following  day,  and 

I.  From  the  Manuscript  Archives  of  the  Society,  where  it  is  entitled: 
The  Constitution  of  the  Auxiliary  New- York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer 
Book  Society.    Established  in  the  City  of  New- York.    January  26th,  1816. 


78  Bishop  Hobart's  Address.  [1816 

the  Rev.  Benjamin  T.  Onderdonk,  of  Trinity  Parish,  was  chosen 
in  his  place. 

The  practical  character  of  the  new  Auxiliary  was  shown  in 
its  immediate  circulation  of  subscription  books  among  the 
church  people  of  the  city.  Solicitors  were  appointed  for  the 
several  wards.  They  met  with  a  generous  and  ready  response 
both  in  securing  annual  subscriptions  and  donations  as  the 
lists'  taken  from  the  original  records  show.  They  will  also 
serve  to  show  the  strength  of  the  Church  in  the  City  of  New- 
York  ninety-three  years  ago. 

Upon  the  evening  of  Friday,  March  8,  i8i6,  the  Auxiliary 
celebrated  its  organization  by  a  service  in  Trinity  Church,  at 
which  the  Bishop  preached  and  a  collection  was  taken  up  which 
added  $376.61  to  the  treasury  of  the  Society. 

The  address  of  Dr.  Hobart  was  one  of  his  very  best  and  is 
an  essential  part  of  the  history  of  the  times  and  of  this  Society : 

Address,  &c. 

The  circumstances  connected  with  our  present  meeting  are 
peculiarly  interesting. 

We  are  convened  to  celebrate  the  organization  of  an  institu- 
tion, which  seeks  to  diffuse  that  religious  truth  which  destroys 
the  reign  of  error  and  sin;  and,  while  it  sheds  celestial  light  on 
man's  path  in  this  world,  conducts  him  to  immortal  glory.  It 
may  not  be  necessary  to  magnify  the  importance  of  any  par- 
ticular object  of  benevolence  by  contrasting  it  with  others.  But, 
undoubtedly,  a  peculiar  lustre  surrounds  institutions  which  pro- 
vide for  that  better  life  of  man,  which  will  endure  when  all  that 
here  interests  him  shall  be  buried  in  the  silence  of  the  grave. 

But  who  are  the  individuals  that,  animated  by  the  glow  of 
sacred  benevolence,  are  engaged  in  this  meritorious  work?  Not 
only  the  ministers  of  the  sanctuary,  who,  if  they  were  indifferent 
to  such  designs,  would  basely  desert  the  cause  to  which  they  are 
devoted  by  the  most  solemn  engagements.  Not  merely  the 
Fathers  in  Israel,  who,  it  is  to  be  supposed,  could  be  more  easily 
induced  to  withdraw  from  that  world  the  vanity  of  which  ex- 
perience must  have  taught  them,  in  order  to  advance  plans  that 
secure  for  themselves  and   their    fellow   mortals,    imperishable 

I.    See  Appendix. 


1816]  Bishop  Hobart's  Address.  79 

treasures  and  durable  enjoyments.  Did  I  see  only  these  engaged 
in  the  hallowed  purpose  of  extending  the  blessings  of  the  Gospel, 
gratifying  as  would  be  the  scene,  it  would  be  only  what  could  be 
reasonably  expected.  But  when  I  look  around  me,  and  behold 
the  younger  part  of  society  withdrawing  from  pursuits  to  them 
so  promising,  and  from  pleasures  to  them  so  fascinating,  in  order 
to  bring  their  tribute  to  the  altar  of  the  Saviour;  when  I  see 
them  devoting  to  the  glorious  object  of  diffusing  the  truths  and 
blessings  of  God's  word,  a  zeal,  an  assiduity,  a  perseverance  that 
leave  far  behind  their  fathers  and  their  elder  brethren,  and  even 
those  from  whom  they  have  been  accustomed  to  catch  the  spirit 
of  religious  ardour,  my  heart  is  filled  with  unutterable  delight; 
and  from  my  soul  I  bless  them  for  their  pious  emulation,  and 
implore  on  them  the  blessing  of  God. 

But  let  not  the  institution  which  they  have  organized  with  so 
much  judgment,  in  which  they  have  engaged  with  so  much  zeal 
and  perseverance,  rest  for  its  support  solely  on  the  impulses  of 
feeling.  Let  us  expose  its  design  and  its  objects  to  the  strictest 
scrutiny. 

The  object  of  the  institution  is,  the  joint  distribution  of 
Bibles  and  Common  Prayer  Books.  Organized  and  promoted 
principally  by  young  men,  in  aid  of  other  institutions  previously 
established,  it  is  styled  the  Auxiliary  Bible  and  Common  Prayer 
Book  Society.  With  a  view  to  ascertain  the  necessity  and  utility 
of  this  institution,  let  us  consider. 

The  general  effect  of  institutions  having  for  their  object  the 
distribution  of  the  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  on  the  World  at 
Large — on  the  Christian  Church — on  Our  Own  Church 
in  particular — and  on  the  Members  who  Compose  these  Insti- 
tutions. 

******** 

In  translating,  then,  and  publishing  the  Liturgy  in  conjunction 
with  the  Bible,  and  distributing  them  throughout  the  world,  we 
follow  the  scriptural  plan  of  evangelizing  it.  We  present  to 
them  God's  Word  and  God's  Church.  For  the  Liturgy  contains 
and  recognizes  the  doctrines  of  the  Church,  its  ministry,  and  its 
worship.  This  is  not  the  occasion  for  proving  this  point.  They, 
however,  who  believe  that  the  Liturgy  does  present  the  Christian 
Church  as  to  doctrine,  ministry,  and  worship,  in  its  apostolic 
and  evangelical  form,  ought  to  admit  the  duty,  according  to  the 


80  Bishop  Hobart's  Address.  [1816 

scriptural  plan,  of  associating  it  with  the  Bible  in  the  great  work 
of  evangelizing  the  world. 

This  is  also  the  course  common  sense  points  out.  In  pre- 
senting to  an  individual  an  instrument  of  great  length,  of  great 
variety  of  matter,  written  by  different  persons,  in  different 
styles,  at  a  remote  period ;  would  not  common  sense  dictate  that 
a  summary  of  its  contents,  sanctioned  by  the  judgment  of  wise 
and  learned  men  through  a  long  course  of  ages,  should  also  be 
presented?  Is  it  in  the  nature  of  things  possible,  or  is  it  the 
design  of  Providence  that  every  man  should  form  his  religion 
solely  from  the  Bible,  without  any  aid  or  instruction?  Is  this  a 
case  in  other  arts  and  sciences;  and  is  not  Providence  uniform 
in  his  operations?  Let  me  not  be  misunderstood.  I  do  not  say 
that  an  individual,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  from  the  mere  perusal 
of  the  Bible,  cannot  become  convinced,  on  the  ground  of  its  in- 
ternal excellence,  of  its  divine  origin,  and  acquire  a  knowledge 
of  its  leading  truths.  But  my  position  is,  that  ordinarily  it  is 
not  possible,  nor  is  it  designed  by  Providence,  that  every  indi- 
vidual, without  aid  or  instruction,  should  become  convinced  of 
the  divine  origin  of  the  Scriptures,  or  form  his  religion  from 
the  Bible  alone.  He  must  have  information  of  various  kinds 
from  others;  and  particularly  he  must  have  a  summary  of  the 
truths  contained  in  the  sacred  volume  to  aid  him  in  his  exami- 
nation. Are  not  Catechisms  for  the  young;  more  extended  for- 
mularies of  doctrine  for  those  of  mature  age;  confessions  and 
articles  of  faith  among  all  Christians,  predicated  on  the  principle 
that  these  summaries  are  judicious  and  necessary  as  guides  and 
auxiliaries  in  the  study  of  the  Bible?  Here,  again,  let  me  not 
be  misunderstood.  Let  it  not  be  supposed  that  I  advocate  the 
papal  tenet  of  the  infallibility  of  the  Church,  of  the  necessity  of 
implicitly  receiving  her  interpretations  of  sacred  writ.  What, 
indeed,  the  great  body  of  Christians  in  every  age,  and  in  all 
places;  what  the  universal  Church,  universal  as  to  its  numbers, 
to  time,  to  place,  has  received,  may  be  morally  demonstrated, 
must  be  founded  in  the  Word  of  God.^  But  this  is  very  differ- 
ent from  admitting  the  claims  of  a  particular  Church;  as,  for  in- 
stance, the  Church  of  Rome,  to  infallibility.      ***** 

I.    This   position  is  advanced  and  maintained   in  a  work  of   Vincentiuj 
Lirinensis,  translated  and  published  in  Reeves'  Apologies. 


1816]  Bishop  Hobart's  Address.  81 

Will  it  be  said  that  the  idea  of  distributing  the  Book  of  Com- 
mon Prayer  among  all  nations  is  chimerical  ?  But  what  possible 
ground  is  there  for  such  an  assertion?  May  not  this  book  be 
translated  as  well  as  the  Bible?  Must  not  the  Heathen,  when 
converted,  have  some  formulary  of  faith  and  devotion?  And 
what  better  formulary  can  be  provided  for  them  than  the  Book 
of  Common  Prayer?  It  enjoys  the  singular  advantage  for  the 
purposes  of  universal  distribution,  that  all  Protestants  acknowl- 
edge it  to  be  pure  in  doctrine,  and  fervent  and  pathetic  in  devo- 
tion, however  they  may  object  to  it  as  a  form,  and  to  some  of 
its  ceremonies  and  rites. 

Do  we  place  this  book  on  an  equal  footing  with  the  Bible,  and 
contend  for  its  universal  and  unchangeable  reception?  By  no 
means.  We  place  it  next  to  the  Bible  as  an  invaluable  digest  of  its 
truths,  and  exhibition  of  its  institutions  and  worship.  As  such, 
we  recommend  its  universal  use  and  distribution.  We  offer  it 
to  the  Heathen  as  a  pure  and  admirable  system,  which  may  be 
traced,  in  its  most  important  features,  to  the  primitive  times. 
But  the  Churches  which  may  be  established  among  them  will 
have  a  right  to  prescribe  their  own  formularies  of  faith  and 
worship;  and,  of  course,  they  may  either  adopt  our  Liturgy  in 
its  present  form,  or  make  such  alterations  in  it  as  their  views  of 
propriety  and  expediency  may  dictate.      ****** 

But,  my  brethren,  these  fields  of  benevolence  we  must  neces- 
sarily at  present  leave  to  others — to  those  parent  institutions  in 
a  foreign  country,  from  which  flow  those  perennial  streams  that 
make  glad  the  desolate  places  of  the  Christian  Church.  Such 
are  the  wants  of  our  own  country,  and  of  our  own  Church,  that 
they  far  exceed  all  the  resources  of  benevolence  that  have 
hitherto  been  brought  into  operation;  and  these  wants  are  likely 
to  increase  with  the  increasing  population  and  settlement  of  our 
coimtry. 

Let  us  proceed,  then,  to  consider  the  effect  of  the  Bible  and 
Common  Prayer  Book  associations  in  reference  to  Our  Own 
Church  and  Country. 

It  ought  to  be  our  desire  and  aim  that  this  Church  should 
spread  through  every  part  of  this  immense  continent.  What, 
then,  are  the  limits  of  your  pious  zeal  and  munificence?  To 
diffuse  merely  the  religion  of  the  Bible  considered  in  the  abstract, 

(6) 


1 


82  Bishop  Hobart's  Address.  [181$ 

can  be  the  ultimate  aim  af  no  denomination  of  Christians. 
They  all  connect  the  religion  of  the  Bible  with  those  particular 
truths  and  institutions  which  they  deduce  from  it.  You.  my 
brethren,  I  trust,  are  solicitous  for  the  extension  of  your  Church, 
not  from  views  contracted  or  sectarian:  not  from  the  feelings 
merely  of  religious  partizans;  but  from  a  conviction  that  its 
doctrines  and  institutions  are  sanctioned  by  the  sacred  volume, 
and  best  calculated  to  preserve  in  purity  and  vigour  its  divine 
truths.  You  are  desirous  to  spread  the  Bible,  because  thence 
your  Church  deduces  the  doctrines  which  she  dispenses;  and 
because  to  this  holy  book  she  refers  her  members  as  the 
standard  by  which  to  test  her  doctrines;  and  the  divine  source 
from  whence  must  proceed  spiritual  strength  and  consolation. 
You  are  disposed  to  distribute  the  Bible  to  all  who  need  it,  be- 
cause, like  charity  which  you  dispense  to  the  sufferer,  by  what- 
ever name  he  is  called,  for  the  relief  of  his  corporeal  necessities, 
tiiis  spiritual  beneficence  will  convey  the  bread  of  life  and  the 
waters  of  salvation,  to  the  hungry  and  perishing  soul. 

With  respect  to  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  there  is  a  pecu- 
liar and  urgent  call  upon  you.  The  distribution  of  it  is  essential 
to  the  progress  and  prosperity  of  our  Church,  as  well  as  to  the 
diffusion  of  the  truths  and  ordinances  of  the  Gospel,  in  what  we 
conceive  is  their  spiritual  and  most  edifying  form.     *     *     *     * 

But  the  situation  of  those  members  of  our  Church  who  are 
scattered  through  the  nezv  settlements  of  our  country,  where 
tfecre  are  no  regularly  organized  Episcopal  congregations,  is 
peculiarly  calculated  to  excite  our  sympathy  and  to  arouse  our 
pious  zeai.  The  Episcopal  emigrant  whose  lot  is  cast  in  a 
spiritual  as  well  as  a  natural  wild  finds  himself  deprived  of  that 
e^'^angelical  worship  by  which,  in  a  more  favoured  situation,  he 
kept  the  unity  of  the  faith,  and  worshipped  the  God  of  his 
fathers.  You,  who  value  the  Liturgy  as  one  of  the  ties  that  con- 
nect our  hearts  with  God,  and  your  hopes  with  Heaven,  can 
judge  what  must  be  the  feelings  of  the  pious  member  of  our 
Church  who  is  in  danger  of  being  deprived  of  this  inestimable 
service.  Yet  if  the  Episcopal  emigrant  were  furnished  ^vith 
Prayer  Books,  he  could  not  only  enjoy  the  worship  of  the 
Liturgy  in  his  family,  but  inducing  others  to  unite  in  it,  would 
thus,  gradually,  lay  the  foundation  for  a  regularly  organized 
congregation. 


181^]  Bi«hop  Hobart's  Address.  88 

Unless  attentiwi  is  paid  to  the  new  settlements,  which  arc 
rapidly  becoming  extrenr»ely  populous,  by  sending  missionaries 
and  by  furnishing  them  with  a  large  supply  of  the  Book  of 
Common  Prayer,  the  few  E4)iscopalians  who  are  now  scattered 
there,  will  t>e  compelled  to  connect  themselves  with  other  denom- 
inations of  Christians;  and  our  Church  will  be  unknown  in  ex- 
tensive districts,  which  will  soon  be  ranked  among  the  moist 
important  portions  of  our  country.  My  young  friends,  here  is 
a  call  on  your  sympathy,  and  a  noble  incentive  to  your  pious 
zeal.  The  institution  which  you  are  now  organizing,  and  from 
which  similar  institutions,  we  trust,  will  soon  spring,  will  be  the 
means  of  furnishing  the  members  of  our  Church  who  are  dis- 
persed through  the  new  settlements  of  our  country,  with  that 
spiritual  worship  which  is  endeared  to  you  and  to  them  as  the 
legacy  of  your  Fathers;  of  Martyrs,  and  Primitive  Saints;  who, 
doubtless,  in  some  of  its  sacred  hymns,  now  pour  forth  their 
praises,  in  the  resting  place  of  the  just.      ****** 

In  this  view,  gratifying  are  the  hopes  which  may  be  indulged 
with  regard  to  you,  my  young  friends.  With  your  efforts  to 
distribute  the  Bible,  we  trust,  your  reverence  for  it  will  increase. 
While  you  bestow  it  to  save  the  soul  of  a  perishing  brother,  re- 
member that  you  have  souls  to  save  to  which  this  sacred  vohime 
must,  through  divine  grace,  be  the  means  of  salvation.  You 
present  it  to  him  that  be  may  find  instruction,  light,  consolation, 
peace  in  its  sacred  pages.  Do  you  not  need  these  celestial  bless- 
ings? And  will  you  not  sedc  for  them  in  the  sacred  book  to 
which  you  direct  the  attention  and  hopes  of  others  ? 

You  answer  the  entreaties  of  your  fellow  Episcopalians  by 
the  liberal  gratuities  of  Prayer  Books.  They  ask  for  this  volume 
as  the  best  human  guide  in  the  way  of  salvation,  the  best  com- 
panion in  the  sanctuary  of  God,  and  the  best  safeguard  against 
error  in  faith,  and  extravagance  in  devotion.  And  while  you 
join  in  their  commendations  of  it,  and  participate  in  theu*  fervent 
affection  for  it,  will  you  never  use  it  as  your  guide  to  salvation, 
your  safeguard  from  error,  and  your  companion  in  the  sanctuary 
of  your  God?  Your  benevolence  furnishes  others  with  the 
means  of  access  to  Heaven — take  heed  lest  ye  fall  short  of  its 
glories,;  and  while  you  contribute  to  the  salvation  of  others,  be- 
come castaways  yourselves.       ******** 

Go  on,  then,  meritorious  young  men — our  wishes,  our  prayers 


84  Bishop  Hobart's  Address.  [1816 

shall  go  with  you.  The  Bible  and  The  Book  of  Common 
Prayer.    Let  this  be  your  cacred  motto.^ 

The  distribution  of  them,  by  God's  blessing,  will  be  the  means 
of  shedding  celestial  light  on  a  world  dark  and  ignorant ;  and  of 
bringing  to  the  world  disconsolate  and  dreary,  the  comforts  of 
Heaven.  The  distribution  of  these  may  be  the  means  of  re- 
moving from  the  Christian  Church  the  errors,  corruptions,  and 
divisions  that  deface  and  distract  her;  and  of  restoring  her  to 
purity,  to*  order,  and  peace.  Thus  also  will  you  be  instrumental 
in  the  more  immediate  good,  of  diffusing  in  your  own  Church 
and  country,  the  means  of  religious  knowledge,  grace,  and  sal- 
vation; and  of  saving  that  country  from  the  curse  of  irreligion, 
profligacy  and  vice.  To  these  objects  devote  your  time — accord- 
ing to  your  ability,  devote  you  wealth.  Time  and  wealth  em- 
ployed in  the  cause  of  God  and  of  the  souls  of  men,  will  be 
returned  to  you  an  hundred  fold,  in  the  approbation  of  your 
own  hearts,  and  in  the  blessings  of  eternity. 

Go  on — your  labours  shall  not  be  solitary  and  unpatronized. 
Already  you  have  received  the  liberal  countenance  of  many  of 
your  seniors  in  station  and  in  years.  They  must  applaud  your 
pious  zeal — they  must  honour  it.  They  will  furnish  you  with 
the  means  of  indulging  it.  I  think  I  see  a  pledge  of  this  in  their 
presence  on  this  occasion.  I  trust  that  we  are  all  awakening  to  a 
lively  and  permanent  conviction,  that  we  ought  not  to  be  outdone 

I.  It  will  not  follow  from  this  position,  that  the  Bible  and  Book  of  Com- 
mon Prayer  shoold  never  be  distributed  separately.  They  should  be  dis- 
tributed together,  where  they  are  both  wanted,  and  will  be  received;  and  in 
other  cases,  separately,  as  expediency  may  dictate.  Among  Episcopalians, 
and  among  those  friendly  to  the  Church,  and  those  inquiring  concerning  its 
principles  and  worship,  they  can  both  be  distributed.  Among  the  Heathen, 
as  has  been  shown  in  this  address,  they  can  also  be  jointly  distributed. 
There  is  great  propriety,  indeed,  in  the  Heathen  being  furnished  with  the 
Liturgy  as  a  correct  manual  of  faith  and  devotion,  at  the  same  time  they  are 
provided  with  a  Bible.  Among  non-Episcopalians ,  who  are  opposed  to  our 
Church,  or  indifferent  concerning  it,  it  may  not  always  be  prudent  or  practi- 
cable to  distribute  the  Prayer  Book;  and  in  such  cases  the  bounty  of  Bible 
and  Common  Prayer  Book  Societies  must  necessarily  be  confined  to  the 
distribution  of  the  Bible  alone.  The  distribution  of  the  two  books  as 
the  object  of  the  same  institutions  is  the  principle  which  is  advocated  in 
this  address.  The  particular  cases  in  which  they  are  to  be  jointly  or  separ- 
ately distributed,  must  be  left  to  the  exercise  of  a  sound  discretion. 


1816]  Stereotype  Plates.  85 

by  other  communities  of  Christians  in  pious  liberaHty  and  zeal. 
May  I  not  indulge  the  hope  that  I  shall  find  an  evidence  of  this 
in  the  accession  of  members  to  your  most  laudable  association, 
and  in  the  contributions  which  this  evening  will  be  offered  to  it. 
My  brethren  of  the  congregation — the  cause  that  solicits  you 
is  the  cause  of  God,  of  his  religion,  of  his  holy  Church,  of  the 
temporal  and  eternal  felicity  of  your  fellowmen.  Is  there  a 
heart  that  can  be  unmoved  ?    Is  there  a  hand  that  can  be  closed  ?* 

Upon  April  22,  18 16,  one  hundred  French  Bibles,  the  pur- 
chase of  which  had  been  previously  authorized,  were  reported 
to  the  Board  of  Managers  as  having  arrived.  They  were  de- 
posited with  the  Bishop  to  be  distributed  in  his  discretion. 

The  intimate  relation  which  was  established  between  the 
parent  society  and  the  Auxiliary  is  shown  by  these  entries  upon 
the  minutes  during  the  spring  and  summer  of  181 6. 

The  President  laid  before  the  Board  two  communications 
from  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book 
Society,  signed  Benj.  Haight,  Corresponding  Secretary.  The 
one  bearing  date  March  i8th,  181 6  (see  papers  on  file  A),  in- 
forming of  the  organization  of  that  Society,  and  of  the  dis- 
position of  its  members  to  cooperate  with  the  parent  institution 
in  any  measure  which  may  require  their  joint  funds,  and  to 
preserve  a  friendly  intercourse  in  their  ordinary  operations;  the 
other,  dated  March  21st,  1816  (see  papers  on  file  B),  gave  in- 
formation of  the  appointment  of  a  committee  by  the  Auxiliary 
Society  to  enquire  into  the  expediency  of  purchasing  a  set  of 
stereotype  plates  for  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  and  request- 
ed this  Board  (if  it  should  think  proper)  to  appoint  a  committee 
on  the  same  subject. 

Whereupon,  on  motion  of  General  Clarkson,  resolved  unani- 
mously that  the  Standing  Committee  of  this  Board  be  requested 
to  express  to  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Auxiliary  New  York 
Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  the  great  satisfaction 

I.  Address  delivered  before  the  Auxiliary  New- York  Bible  and  Common 
Prayer  Book  Society,  in  Trinity  Parish,  in  the  City  of  New-York,  on  Friday, 
the  8th  day  of  March,  A.  D.  1816,  by  John  Henry  Hobart,  D.D.,  Bishop  of 
the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  the  State  of  New- York.  Published  by 
the  request  of  the  Society.  New- York :  Printed  by  T.  and  J.  Swords,  No. 
160  Pearl-Street.     1816. 


86  Stereotype  Plates.  [1816 

this  Board  feels  on  the  organization  of  their  Society,  its  best 
wislics  for  the  divine  blessing  of  their  exertions,  and  its  willing- 
ness to  cooperate  in  any  measure  which  may  require  the  joint 
counsel  or  funds  of  the  two  Societies;  and  also  that  the  Stand- 
ing Committee  be  requested  to  confer  with  the  Committee  of  the 
Auxiliary  Society  on  the  subject  of  the  stereotype  plates. 
The  Board  adjourned  imtil  Monday  next  at  12  o'clock. 

Benj'"n  T.  Onderdonk,  Secry. 
(Folio  55.) 

The  President,  from  the  Standing  Committee,  reported  that 
that  Committee  liad  had  a  conference  with  the  Committee  of  the 
Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society 
on  the  subject  of  purchasing  a  set  of  stereotype  plates  for  the 
Book  of  Common  Prayer;  and  such  facts  in  reference  to  the 
superior  advantages  of  stereotype  printing  had  been  cited  at  that 
conference,  as  induced  the  Committee  respectfully  recommend 
to  the  Board  to  aid  the  Auxiliary  Society  in  the  purchase  of  the 
pJates  in  question.  The  Committee  further  suggested  the  pro- 
priety of  devoting  to  this  object  the  sum  that  may  be  collected 
at  the  preaching  of  the  anniversary  sermon  for  this  Society  for 
the  present  year. 

Whereupon,  on  motion,  resolved  unanimously,  that  this  Board 
conctur  in  the  report  of  the  Standing  Committee,  and  will,  in  the 
way  proposed  by  them,  aid  the  Auxiliary  Society  in  the  purchase 
of  stereotype  plates  of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer.    (Folio  57.) 

The  Society  ultimately  appropriated  the  sum  of  $246.53  for 
the  proposed  stereotype  edition  of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer. 
The  Avixiliary  then  devoted  its  whole  attention  to  the  super- 
vision of  the  preparation  of  stereotype  plates  which  were  very 
carefully  made  at  the  establishment  of  Daniel  and  George  Bruce, 
a  firm  noted  for  well  finished  work. 

The  plates  were  of  sixteen  mo.  size,  and  the  type  chosen  was 
of  a  size  sufficiently  large  to  be  clear.  It  was  the  first  attempt 
to  make  a  Prayer  Book  which  could  be  sold  at  a  small  price  and 
yet  be  of  convenient  size. 

Its  title  page  is :  "The  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  and  Adminis- 
tration of  the  Sacraments  and  other  Rites  and  Ceremonies  of 
the  Church,  according  to  the  use  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 


1816]  General  Bible  Society.  97 

Church  in  the  United  States  of  America:  together  with  the 
Psaher  or  Psahns  of  David.  Stereotyped  by  D.  and  G.  Bruce. 
New- York.  From  the  stereotype  press  of  the  Auxiliary  New- 
York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society.  New-York,. 
1816."     16  mo.  pp.  318. 

The  discussion  of  the  advisabiHty  of  a  general  Bible  Society, 
which  should  be  for  the  United  States  what  the  British  and 
Foreign  Bible  Society  was  for  Great  Britain,  had  been  long  and 
animated.  Finally  delegates  were  appointed  to  a  convention  to 
be  held  in  the  city  of  New  York  with  authority  to  take  acticm, 
upon  it.  Mr.  William  Jay  issued,  just  prior  to  the  meeting  in 
New  York,  a  pamphlet  entitled  "A  Memoir  on  the  subject  of  a 
General  Bible  Society  for  the  United  States  of  America.  By  a 
Citizen  of  the  State  of  New  York.  New-Jersey  Printed  in  1816." 
This  "Memoir"  contains  a  draft  of  a  constitution  for  the  pro- 
posed Society  and  is  a  forcible  appeal  on  behalf  of  its  necessity. 
Forty-seven  delegates,  duly  appointed  from  the  various  Bible 
Societies  in  the  Atlantic  States,  eight  others  not  formally 
appointed,  and  four  representatives  of  the  Society  of  Friends, 
met  in  the  Consistory  Room  of  the  Reformed  Dutch  Church  on 
Wednesday,  May  8,  18 16.  Among  those  sitting  in  the  Conven- 
tion were  several  Churclimen,  including  the  Rev.  John  P.  K.  Hen- 
shaw  of  St.  Ann's  Church,  Brooklyn,  the  Rev.  Simon  Wilmer, 
of  Trinity  Church,  Swedesboro;  Hon.  Joshua  M.  Wallace, 
Senior  Warden  of  St.  Mary's  Church,  Burlington,  New  Jersey; 
Mr.  William  Jay,  of  Bedford,  N.  Y. ;  Mr.  Joshua  Sands,  Senior 
Warden  of  St.  Ann's,  Brooklyn,  and  General  Swift,  of  the  same 
parish. 

After  an  opening  prayer  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Eliphalet  Nott,  the 
Convention  organized  for  business.  The  Hon.  Joshua  M.  Wal- 
lace was  chosen  President,  and  the  Rev.  Dr.  John  B.  Romeye  and 
the  Rev.  Lyman  Beecher  were  elected  Secretaries. 

After  some  deliberation  it  was — 

"Resolved  unanimously,  That  it  is  expedient  to  establish  with- 
out delay  a  general  Bible  Institution  for  the  circulation  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures  without  note  or  comment." 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Nott,  Dr.  John  M.  Mason,  Mr.  Samuel  Bayard, 
the  Rev.  Simon  Wilmer,  the  Rev.  Lyman  Beecher,  Mr.  Charles 
Wright,  the  Rev.  J.  H.  Rice,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Jedediah  Morse,  Mr. 
William  Jay  and  the  Rev.  Dr.  J.  Blythe  were  appointed  a  com- 


88  General  Bible  Society.  [1816 


mittee  to  prepare  the  plan  of  a  Constitution  of  the  said  .Society; 
and  an  address  to  the  public  on  the  nature  and  objects  thereof. 

Upon  Friday,  May  lo,  the  Committee  reported  "the  draft  of 
a  Constitution,  which  after  reading  as  a  whole  and  in  para- 
graphs, was  adopted  unanimously." 

The  first  Article  was: 

"This  Society  shall  be  known  by  the  name  of  the  American 
Bible  Society,  of  which  the  sole  object  shall  be  to  encourage  a 
wider  circulation  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  without  note  or  com- 
ment." 

The  Committee  also  presented  a  draft  of  "An  Address  to  the 
Publick,"  which  after  being  "read  in  the  same  manner  was  also 
unanimously  adopted." 

Its  opening  sentences  are : 

"Every  person  of  observation  has  remarked  that  the  times  are 
pregnant  with  great  events.  The  political  world  has  undergone 
changes  stupendous,  unexpected,  and  calculated  to  inspire 
thoughtful  men  with  the  most  boding  anticipations.  That  there 
are  in  reserve  occurrences  of  deep,  of  lasting,  and  of  general 
import  appears  to  be  the  common  sentiment." 

The  address  shows  that  under  these  circumstances  the  Chris- 
tians of  the  United  States  should  stand  together  in  opposing  the 
forces  which  may  disintegrate  the  moral  and  spiritual  weapon  of 
the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  appeals  to  all  Christians  to  unite  in  their 
circulation,  without  note  or  comment,  in  the  current  English 
version,  throughout  the  country  and  in  heathen  lands.  It  justi- 
fies a  General  Society  for  this  purpose  and  makes  a  strong  plea 
for  moral  and  financial  support  as  Christianity  was  the  main 
bulwark  of  the  Republic.  Among  the  thirty-six  managers 
chosen  were  such  staunch  Churchmen  as  the  Hon.  Rufus  King, 
Mr.  Joshua  Sands,  Dr.  John  Watts  and  others. 

A  meeting  was  held  in  the  City  Hall,  on  Saturday,  May  il, 
when  the  Hon.  Elias  Boudinot,  of  Burlington,  New  Jersey,  was 
elected  President,  and  Vice  Presidents  for  each  State  chosen. 

The  Hon.  John  Jay  and  General  Matthew  Clarkson  repre- 
sented, with  the  Hon.  Smith  Thompson,  the  State  of  New  York, 
the  Rev.  Dr.  John  M.  Mason  was  chosen  Secretary  for  Foreign 
Correspondence,  and  the  Rev.  Dr.  John  M.  Romeye,  Secretary 


1816]  Address  to  Episcopalians.  89 

for  Domestic  Correspondence,  and  Colonel  Richard  Varick  was 
elected  Treasurer.* 

Bishop  Hobart  had  foreseen  that  such  an  organization  would 
be  formed.  He  knew  the  eminence,  the  personal  integrity,  and 
purely  benevolent  motives  of  those  who  were  its  chief  pro- 
moters. His  biographer  says :  "Notwithstanding  the  imposing 
array  of  overwhelming  numbers,  of  rank,  talent,  and  influence, 
which  that  Society  presented,  he  was  neither  intimidated  nor 
silenced.  The  principles  which  he  had  before  advocated,  were 
now  rendered  still  more  unpopular  by  this  general  union  in  op- 
position to  them.  It  not  only  had  the  cordial  support  of  all  the 
other  religious  denominations,  but  of  some  of  the  respectable 
clergymen  and  influential  laymen  of  our  own  communion.  But 
as  the  love  of  what  he  deemed  the  truth  had  always  prevailed 
over  his  regard  for  popular  favour  he  was  only  roused  to  a 
more  vigourous  defence  of  it,  by  the  danger  to  which  it  was 
exposed.  No  man  ever  acted  upon  higher  and  nobler  prin- 
ciples.'"* 

Upon  the  very  day  upon  which  the  officers  of  the  American 
Bible  Society  were  elected,  he  sent  forth  his  warning  cry  and 
his  godly  counsel  to  the  laity  of  the  Church  in  New  York  in  this 
"Address"  first  printed  a  periodical  of  the  day.' 

Address,  &c. 
My  Brethren, 

It  appears  from  the  public  prints  of  this  day  that  an  "Ameri- 
can Bible  Society"  has  been  organized  in  this  city.  Before  you 
connect  yourselves  with  this  institution,  permit  me,  in  a  sincere 
solicitude  for  the  interests  of  our  Church,  and  for  the  extention 


1.  These  particulars  of  the  organization  of  this  Society  are  taken  from 
its  first  publication,  a  pamphlet  now  rare :  Constitution  of  the  American 
Bible  Society,  formed  by  a  Convention  of  Delegates  held  in  the  City  of 
New  York,  May,  1816,  together  with  their  Address  to  the  People  of  the 
United  States;  a  Notice  of  their  Proceedings  and  a  list  of  their  Officers. 
New  York :  Printed  for  the  American  Bible  Society  by  G.  F.  Hopkins,  72 
William  Street.    i8i6. 

2.  Berrian's  "Memoir,"  Volume  I.  p.  175. 

3.  Its  full  title  is:  An  Address  to  Episcopalians  on  the  subject  of  the 
American  Bible  Society,  by  John  Henry  Hobart,  Bishop  of  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church  in  the  State  of  New- York.  New-York:  Printed  by  T. 
and  J.  Swords,  No.  160  Pearl-Street.     1816. 


99  Address  to  EpiscopaKans,  [18.16 

of  the  Gospdt  in  its  prnnitive  piirity,  to  call  your  attention  to 
the  following  considerations :  which  the  urgency  of  the  occasion 
compels  me  to  address  to  yoi*  through  the  same  medium.  Pfer- 
mit  me  to  ask,  What  is  the  necessity  for  this  institution?  There 
are  Bible  Societies  already,  instituted  in  every  part  of  the 
United  States,  and  others  are  constantly  organizing.  These  inr 
stitwtions^  I  presume,  are  fully  adequate  to  all  the  purposes  for 
which  Bibte  Societies  are  wanted.  The  idea  of  a  National  Bible 
Society,  which  is  in  fact,  to  represent  every  part  of  this  exten- 
sive coTOitiT,  is  perfectly  visionary.  It  will  be,  in  its  spirit  and 
management,  the  BiWe  Society  of  the  particular  city  or  district 
where  it  is  established.  This  is  already  proved  by  the  circum- 
stance that  the  persons  named  as  managers  of  the  "American 
Bible  Society,"  with  two  or  three  exceptions,  reside  in  the  city  of 
New-York,  or  its  vicinity. 

But  what  necessity  can  there  be  for  another  Bible  Society  hi 
this  city.  There  already  exist  here  The  Nezu-York  Bible  So- 
ciety, The  Nczv-York  Auxiliary  Bible  Society,  The  New-York 
Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  The  New-York  Aux- 
iliary Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society.  And.  besides 
these*  it  is  believed  that  there  are  Bible  Societies  or  Bible  and 
Common  Prayer  Book  Societies  in  almost  every  county  in  the 
State. 

What  necessity,  I  ask  again,  can  there  be  for  the  establish- 
ment of  another;  particularly  in  a  city  where  four  already  exist? 
Zeal  in  a  good  cause  is  always  commendable ;  but  it  is  the  nature 
of  zeal,  like  everything  else,  which  excites  the  passions  of  our 
nature,  to  run  into  excess.  Is  there  any  great  object  to  be  ac- 
complished, to  which  these  institutions  separately  are  inade- 
quate? Let  any  one  of  these  institutions  propose  this  object; 
and  the  others  will  cooperate  in  it  to  the  extent  of  their  means. 
This  has  been  already  done.  The  "New-York  Bible  Society"  pro- 
posed the  publication  of  a  French  Bible,  and  they  received  aid 
from  other  institutions.  The  New- York  Bible  and  Common 
Prayer  Book  Society  aided  them,  to  a  small  amount,  indeec^, 

but  with  the  utmost  cordiality,  and  to  the  extent  of  their  means. 
******** 

If,  indeed,  this  National  Society  is  to  be  national  in  any  thing 
more  than  in  name,  it  can  be  so  only  by  delegation ;  and  who  will 
believe  that  gentlemen  will  come  from  every  part  of  the  United 


IMS]  Address,  to  Episcopaliaais.  ftl 

States  to  the  city  of  N,ew-York,.  or  any  other  city,  merely  to 
hear  a  report  from  the  managers  of  a  society,  wliich  they  may  all 
afterwards  see  in  print  ?  No,  they  must  have  some  other  busi- 
ness;  some  more  powerful  motive.  The  present  measure  at  a 
national  Bible  Society,  was.  proposed  last  year  in  the  manner 
already  stated,  and  then,  and  since,  pressed  with  great  zeal,  by 
a  respectable  Presbyterian  gentleman  of  New-Jersey.  The 
present  time  of  meeting  was  again  so  fixed  as  to  happen  about 
the  time  of  the  meeting  of  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church  in.  Philadelphia,  which  will  take  place  in  a  few 
days.  And  some  of  the  most  active  members  of  the  present 
Convention  in  this  city  are  delegates  to  the  General  Assembly  of 
the  Presbyterian;  Church.  But  if  there  is  no  delegation  sent  to 
this  society,  at  an  annual  meeting,  it  cannot  be,  in  any  sense,  a 
national  society.  If  the  annual  meeting  takes  place  at  any  other 
time  than  about  the  time  of  the  meeting  of  the  General  Assembly 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Philadelphia,  to  which  body  clergy- 
men and  laymen  come  from  every  part  of  the  United  States,,  I 
venture  to  predict  there  will  be  no  national  delegation.  And  if 
the  meeting  should  be  held  at  the  time  mentioned,  then,  I  veur 
ture  to  predict,  that  however  others  may  be  honoured  with 
offices,  the  spirit  and  influence,  and  the  credit  of  the  institution 
will  eventually  be  that  of  the  very  numerous  and  respectable 
Presbyterian  denomination. 

But  if  this  denomination  and  others  think  proper  to  institute 
another  Bible  Society,  you  can  have  no  objection  to  the  measure. 
Indulge  me  while  I  state  some  further  considerations  which 
should  deter  you  from  engaging  in  it. 

Your  patronage,,  your  zvealth,  your  influence,  and  your  exer- 
tions are  wanted  for  similar  institutions  in  your  own  Church. 
The  "Auxiliary  New- York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book 
Society,"  recently  instituted  by  Episcopal  young  men,  calls  for 
the  support  and  countenance  of  Episcopalians  in  this  effort  of 
commendable  zeal.  The  "New- York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer 
Book  Society"  was  instituted,  it  is  believed,  before  any  Bible 
Society  in  the  United  States.  And  though  it  has  received  very 
respectable  patronage,  yet  its  funds  are  by  no  means  commea- 
surate  to  the  demands  upon  its  benevolence.  Its  managers  have 
only  been  deterred,  by  the  pressure  of  the  times,  from  an  appeal 
to  public  liberality.     Here  then.  Episcopalians  are  institutions 


92  Address  to  Episcopalians.  [1816 

in  your  own  bosom  which  need  your  patronage,  your  influence, 
and  your  bounty.  By  these  institutions  you  may  distribute  the 
Bible,  and,  in  addition  to  this,  the  Liturgy  of  your  Church. 
These  institutions  need,  and  can  usefully  employ,  all  that  you  can 
spare  for  this  species  of  benevolence.  Why,  then,  should  your 
bounty  be  bestowed  upon  others?  ******* 
Before  any  Bible  Society  was  established  in  the  United 
States  the  "New-York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society" 
was  organized  in  this  city,  during  the  administration  of  the 
late  Bishop  Moore.  The  union  of  the  Liturgy  with  the  Bible 
as  the  object  of  distribution  by  societies  consisting  of  Episco- 
palians, was  the  result  of  much  serious  reflection  and  consulta- 
tion of  that  venerable  Bishop  with  the  clergy  and  others.  I'he 
course  then  adopted  by  him,  it  has  been  deemed  by  his  successor 
an  act  of  duty  to  pursue;  both  in  accordance  with  the  opinion 
of  the  clergy  of  the  diocess  generally,  and  of  many  respectable 
laymen  of  the  Church.  It  has  appeared  to  them  that  Episco- 
palians, managing  all  their  religious  concerns  by  themselves, 
would  be  in  no  danger  of  unpleasant  collision  with  others;  of 
committing  their  principles  in  any  degree;  or  in  any  measure 
relaxing  a  spirit  of  attachment  to  the  distinctive  principles  of 
their  own  Church.  This  attachment  may  exist  in  perfect  charity 
for  others,  and  with  due  respect  for  their  rights,  and  when  it 
operates  with  zeal,  firmness,  and  perseverance,  experience 
proves  that  the  Church  will  flourish — and  in  proportion  as  this 
attachment  sinks  into  that  "indolent  indifference  which  some 
men  dignify  with  the  name  of  moderation,"  will  the  Church 
decline. — Those  who  instituted  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book 
Societies  were  of  opinion  that  an  association  of  Episcopalians 
among  themselves  for  religious  purposes  was  the  mode  best  cal- 
culated to  preserve  this  distinctive  attachment  so  essential  to 
the  prosperity  of  their  Church.  They  considered  that  the  spirit 
which  pervades  all  indiscriminate  associations  for  religious  pur- 
poses, affects  to  place  all  denominations  on  the  same  level,  and 
denounces  all  differences  among  them  as  non-essential,  as  the 
"Shibboleths  of  sect,"  as  promoting  "the  views  of  party."  Epis- 
copacy, as  their  Church  declares  in  her  ordination  services,  is 
derived  from  "the  apostles'  times,"  and  instituted  "by  God's 
providence  and  his  holy  spirit;"  and  her  Liturgy  they  value  as 
a   preservative   of   evangelical    doctrine,    and   sober   devotion. 


1816]  Address  to  Episcopalians.  93 

These  are  points  of  difference  between  them  and  others.  And 
they  were  not  willing  to  be  placed  in  situations  in  which  the 
inculcating  these  peculiarities  should  be  considered  as  "pro- 
nouncing the  Shibboleths  of  a  sect,"  and  as  "advancing  the  views 
of  a  party."  Their  apprehension  of  danger  from  these  indis- 
criminate associations  to  their  Church,  was  not  diminished  by 
reflecting,  that  in  all  similar  associations,  it  is  the  invariable 
tendency  of  the  more  numerous  and  more  powerful  party  to 
break  down  the  spirit,  and  the  distinctive  principles  of  the  less 
numerous  and  less  powerful;  and  that,  therefore,  while  in  Eng- 
land, the  numbers,  the  wealth,  and  the  influence  of  the  Episcopal 
Church  might,  in  an  association  with  Dissenters,  not  only  secure 
her  from  injury,  but  increase  her  numbers,  th  eeffect  would  be 
directly  the  reverse  in  this  country,  where  the  Presbyterians  are 
by  far  the  most  numerous  and  most  powerful.  They  also  per- 
ceived that  precisely  by  this  system  of  association  that  respect- 
able and  influential  denomination  was  amalgamating  with  itself, 
the  various  subordinate  sects  of  Presbyterians,  and  the  numer- 
ous body  of  Congregationalists,  and  was  rapidly  extinguishing 
the  ancient  peculiarities  of  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church.  Pure 
and  apostolic  as  is  our  Church,  she  is  to  be  preserved,  under 
God,  by  the  instrumentality  of  human  means.  In  such  circum- 
stances, to  fear  these  associations,  seemed  a  dictate  of  prudence; 
and  those,  therefore,  whose  duty  it  was  in  the  first  case  to  act, 
and  who  feels  the  interests  of  their  Church  pressing  on  their 
conscience  with  awful  weight,  deemed  it  their  duty  to  organize 
"Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Societies,"  and  to  urge  Epis- 
copalians to  connect  themselves  exclusively  with  those  institu- 
tions. These  institutions  have  accordingly  been  established,  two 
in  this  city,  and  others  in  various  parts  of  the  State.  In  order 
to  excite  a  zeal  in  their  favour,  it  seemed  necessary  that  the 
principles  on  which  they  were  instituted  should  be  explained  and 
supported;  and  in  the  discharge  of  my  official  duties,  this  has 
been  accordingly  done  on  various  public  occasions;  I  trust  not 
in  a  manner  incompatible  with  a  sincere  respect  for  the  rights 
and  opinions  of  others.  ********* 
Their  Bishop,  and  a  great  body  of  their  clergy,  supported  by 
many  respectable  laymen,  have  advocated  the  institution  of 
"Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Societies,"  and  have  called  on 
Episcopalians  to  connect  themselves  exclusively  with  these  in- 


91  Address  to  Episcopalians.  [181§ 

stitutions,  believing  great  danger  was  to  be  apprehended  from 
the  contrary  course,  to  the  principles  of  the  Church.  Admitting 
that  they  were  in  error,  is  the  error  of  such  a  nature  as  to  de- 
mand decided  opposition?  If  the  course  to  which  Episcopalians 
have  been  urged,  involved  any  sacrifice  of  principle,  no  human 
regard  ought  to  silence  opposition.  But  in  connecting  themselves 
exclusively  with  "Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Societies"  there 
can  be  no  sacrifice  of  principle  or  of  conscience.  In  this  mode 
they  may  circulate  Bibles,  and  follow,  also,  the  scriptural  and 
apostolic  plan  of  extending,  with  the  Ward  of  God,  the  Church 
of  God,  as  exhibited  in  primitive  purity  in  the  Liturgy.  In  this 
mode  they  will  act  in  unison  with  many  of  their  brethren,  with 
the  spiritual  guardians  of  the  Church  in  this  diocess,  and  avoid 
the  humiliating  and  injurious  spectacle  of  a  divided  household. 
It  was  the  duty  of  the  guardians  of  the  Church  in  this  diocess 
to  make  known  their  views  on  this  subject.  They  have  done  so, 
with  much  solicitude  and  reflection.  Admitting  they  have  been 
mistaken,  is  their  mistake  so  fundamental  as  to  demand  the 
public  and  decided  disapprobation  and  opposition  of  a  respect- 
able'portion  of  their  brethren  of  the  Laity,  of  the  same  diocess? 

Will  this  disapprobation  and  opposition  advance  their  means 
oi  usefulness ;  hold  them  up  to  confidence  and  respect ;  remove 
all  cause  of  triumph  from  those  unfriendly  to  the  Church ;  and 
tend  to  promote  the  harmony  and  prosperity  of  the  diocess? 
"The  beginning  of  stri-fe  is  like  the  letting  in  of  water;"  and  no 
one  can  callculate  the  strength  of  the  flood,  or  the  extent  and 
deepness  of  its  ravages. 

Some  Episcopalians  have  been  placed  on  the  board  of  mana- 
gers, without  their  knowledge.  An  individual,  who  stands  on 
the  highest  eminence  of  public  and  private  worth,  and  whose 
name  appears  on  this  list,  has  not,  it  is  believed,  returned  to  this 
state.  ^\Tiat  course  he  may  pursue,  with  regard  to  this  Bible 
Society,  it  would  be  presumptuous  for  me  to  say.^  But  I  deem 
it  my  duty  to  state,  that  the  course  adopted  with  respect  to  "Bible 
and  Common  Prayer  Book  Societies"  received  his  decided  appro- 
bation and  countenance. 

My  brethren  of  the  Laity — -when  I  commenced  writing  this 

I.    The    Bishop    here    refers    to  the  Hon.  JRufus  King,  then  serving  as 
United  States  Senator  at  Washington. 


1816]  William  Jay's  "Appeal."    '  95 

address  to  you,  it  was  my  intention  that  it  should  be  anonymous. 
But  I  deem  it  more  consistent  with  honourable  frankness  to  an- 
nex my  name.  I  am  aware  that  I  may  be  exposed  to  unworthy 
imputations.  But  if  I  am  charged  with  an  illiberal  or  unchari- 
table spirit,  he  who  knows  my  heart,  knows,  I  trust,  that  the 
charge  is  unfounded.  I  think  I  am  doing  my  duty — ^and  my 
duty,  "tlirough  good  report,  and  through  evil  report,"  I  ought 
not  to  fear  to  perform.  I  think  I  am  doing  my  duty  to  my 
Master — ^to  the  Church,  a  portion  of  which,  in  his  Providence, 
is  entrusted  to  me — and  whose  interests  I  would  most  s<:>licitous- 
ly  guard,  in  the  firm  persuasion  that  she  is  a  pure  branch  of  Ilis 
mystical  body,  which  is  finally  to  convey  the  blessings  of  grace 
and  redemption  to  every  quarter  of  the  world. 

John  He^nry  Hobart 
New-York,  May  ii,  1816. 

Writing  evidently  in  some  haste  the  Bishop  in  his  desire  to 
claim  pre-eminence  for  the  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book 
Society  is  led  into  an  erreor  of  fact.  The  Philadelphia  Bible 
Society  was  founded  in  December,  1808.  The  Author  of  "An 
Appeal  to  Christians  of  America,  in  behalf  of  the  American  Bible 
Society,"who  was  Mr-  William  Jay,  makes  effective  use  of  this 
error.  He,  however,  curiously  enough,  errs  also  in  his  dates  by 
placing  the  date  of  the  organization  of  the  Prayer  Book  Society 
in  October,  1809,  whereas  the  records  show  that  it  held  its  first 
meeting  on  April  14,  1809,  and  was  evidently  organized  prior  to 
tha  tdate.  A  few  of  the  most  pertinent  portions  of  the  "Appeal" 
are  here  given: 

Let  us  now  direct  our  view  to  Great  Britain,  where  we  are 
apt  to  suppose  that  the  "darkness  is  past,  and  the  light  now 
shinetJi." 

From  an  actual  inquiry  made  by  order  of  the  Bishop  of  Dur- 
ham, it  was  discovered  that  there  were  5,800  families  in  that 
diocese  without  Bibles;  estimating  the  rest  of  England  and 
Wales  in  this  .proportion,  they  must  contain  ^SjO,ooofamilies 
destitute  of  the  Scriptures.       ******** 

Let  us  now  look  at  home,  and  let  us  begin  our  inquiries  with 
that  section  of  our  country,  which  is  the  most  distinguished  for 
the  religious  habits  and  information  of  its  citizens.     From  the 


96  Wmiam  Jay's  "Appeal."  [1816 

estimates  which  have  been  made  it  appears  that  in  1814,  one 
sixth  part  of  the  population  of  New  England  was  destitute  of 
the  Scriptures/ 

The  report  of  the  Connecticut  Bible  Society  for  18 12  informs 
us  that  there  were  more  in  that  State  without  the  Scriptures 
than  the  funds  of  the  Society  could  supply;  and  let  it  be  here 
remembered,  that  this  Society  is  one  of  the  oldest  and  ablest  in 
the  United  States,  and  the  State  itself  better  supplied  with 
Bibles  than  probably  any  other  district  of  the  same  population 
in  the  world. 

The  Massachusetts  Society,  in  their  report  for  181 2,  say, 
"when  this  institution  was  first  proposed,  there  were  some  who 
objected  that  it  was  not  needed :  that  the  poor  in  this  country 
are  as  well  supplied  with  Bibles  as  the  rich;  but  inquiry  has 
proved  the  objections  false.  Many  ministers  who  had  the  same 
impressions,  have  expressed  their  surprise  at  the  want  of  Bibles 
in  their  Societies."  In  their  report  for  1813,  they  state  that 
they  had  heard  of  "many  settlements  in  Maine  in  which  only 
one  or  two  Bibles  could  be  found."  "On  every  side  of  us,"  say 
they,  "are  fellow-beings  who  want  the  best  blessing  God  has 
bestowed  on  men."  During  the  year  preceding  this  report  they 
had  distributed  2,296  Bibles  and  532  Testaments,  and  they  de- 
clare that,  "however  improbable  it  may  seem,  this  number  was 
needed." 

In  1809  the  Philadelphia  Society  declared  it  to  be  their 
opinion  that  one-fourth  of  the  families  in  this  country  v/ere 
without  Bibles.  They  state  that  the  "deficiency  of  Bibles  has 
been  found  to  be  much  greater  than  was  expected." 

A  few  weeks  since,  87  families  in  one  ward  in  the  City  of 
New-York  were  visited,  and  58  were  found  without  Bibles. 

In  1 81 4  it  was  estimated  that  there  were  in  the  Mississippi 
Territory  5,000  families  destitute  of  the  Scriptures;  8,000  in 
the  State  of  Louisiana;  10,000  in  Tennessee;  12,000  in  the  Ter- 
ritories of  Indiana,  Illinois  and  Missouri;  13,000  in  Ohio; 
and  30,000  in  Kentucky;  and  so  late  as  181 5,  in  many  of  the 
principal  towns  in  the  Western  States  andTerritories,  there  was 
not  a  Bible  for  sale!  Surely,  "darkness  has  covered  the  earth, 
and  gross  darkness  the  people."       ♦**♦**♦ 


I.     Panopolist,  x.  119. 


1816]  WUliam  Jay's  "Appeal."  97 

But  to  love  others  besides  ourselves,  is  the  peculiar  character- 
istic of  Christianity;  let  us,  therefore,  inquire  to  what  extent 
we  have  diffused  the  light  of  Revelation  beyond  our  own 
borders.  In  order  to  send  the  Bible  to  foreigners,  we  must 
publish  it  in  other  languages  than  our  own.  It  is  believed  that 
the  American  Bible  Societies  have  not  distributed  the  Bible  in 
more  than  four  languages,  viz:  EngHsh,  French,  Dutch,  and 
German.^  The  exact  number  of  Bibles  which  have  been  sent 
out  of  the  country  cannot  be  ascertained,  but  it  is  probable  that, 
with  the  exception  of  some  sent  to  Canada,  scarcely  any  in  any 
language  have  been  sent  beyond  our  own  frontiers;  and  that 
the  French,  Dutch  and  German  Bibles  which  have  been  distrib- 
uted, have  been  given  to  those  of  our  own  citizens  who  speak 
these  langauges. 

Thus  it  appears,  that  since  1808,  when  the  first  Bible  Society 
was  established  in  our  country,  the  Christians  of  the  United 
States  have,  through  the  medium  of  their  Societies,  distributed 
not  more,  and  probably  less,  than  150,000  copies  of  the  Scrip- 
tures in  four  languages,  and  chiefly  among  their  own  country- 
men. Such  is  our  return  to  heaven,  for  the  public  and  indi- 
vidual blessings  we  enjoy!       ******** 

Our  Societies  were  not  only  unable  to  concentrate  their  funds, 
but  were  actually  without  any  common  plan  of  operation.  The 
Connecticut  Society  sent  Bibles  into  New -York;  and  the  New- 
York  Society  into  the  Eastern  States ;  the  Eastern  Societies  sent 
Bibles  into  Ohio;  and  the  Ohio  Society  into  Louisiana.  So  far 
were  our  Societies  from  co-operating  that  they  did  not  even 
correspond,  and  were  often  ignorant  of  the  existence  of  each 
other.  The  report  o  fthe  New-York  Society  for  181 2  states  that 
the  Society  had,  in  the  course  of  the  year,  received  a  report 
from  but  one  Bible  Society.  The  next  year,  it  seems,  their  cor- 
respondence was  enlarged,  for  they  then  heard  of  the  proceed- 
ings of  as  many  as  three  Societies.  The  reports  of  our  So- 
cieties afford  ample  evidence  that  they  were  generally  better  ac- 
quainted with  the  transactions  of  the  British  Society  than  those 
of  Societies  in  their  own  vicinity.  As  our  Societies  moved  in 
small  and  distinct  spheres,  their  reports  were,  for  the  most  part, 

I.  The  Philadelphia  Society  imported  a  few  Welsh  and  Gaelic  Bibles, 
but  their  number  was  very  inconsiderable. 

(7) 


98  William  Jay's  "Appeal."  [1816 

destitute  of  interest  and  were  seldom  found  beyond  the  con- 
fines of  the  district  in  which  they  were  written.  But  while  the 
reports  of  our  Societies  have  not  possessed  sufficient  interest  to 
command  general  attention,  the  reports  of  the  British  Society, 
condensing  the  religious  intelligence  derived  from  its  numerous 
auxiliaries  and  correspondents,  are  among  the  most  popular  pub- 
lications of  the  age;  have  already  passed  through  two  editions 
and  are  read  with  avidity  both  in  England  and  America;  and 
several  of  them  have  been  translated  into  foreign  languages. 

There  are  three  classes  of  persons  who  oppose  this  Society. 
The  first  consists  of  those  who,  either  disbelieving  the  Bible,  or 
being  unwilling  to  be  governed  by  its  precepts,  throw  every  ob- 
stacle in  the  way  of  its  diffusion.  The  second  embraces  those 
who,  from  the  purest  and  most  conscientious  motives,  object  to 
a  national  Society,  because  they  doubt  the  possibility  of  carry- 
ing its  plan  into  execution.  The  third  class  refuse  to  support 
the  Society  from  a  fear  that  it  will  diminish  the  numbers  and 
influence  of  the  particular  denomination  to  which  they  belong. 
This  class,  it  is  believed,  is  confined  exclusively  to  a  small  num- 
ber of  the  Protestant  Episcopalians;  for  although  it  was  prob- 
able that  many  among  the  Roman  Catholics  will  withhold  their 
support  from  the  Society,  they  will  act  from  no  hostility  to  this 
Society  in  particular;  but  in  compliance  with  a  common  opinion 
of  that  Church  condemning  the  indiscriminate  use  of  the  Scrip- 

In  addressing  Episcopalians,  the  author  addresses  his  brethren. 
Attached  to  the  Episcopal  Church,  by  the  influence  of  parental 
example;  by  the  prejudices  of  early  education;  by  a  firm  belief 
in  her  doctrines,  and  by  an  unshaken  conviction  of  the  apostolic 
origin  of  her  government;  he  rejoices  in  her  prosperity,  and 
laments  whatever  interrupts  her  harmony  and  lowers  her  repu- 
tation. An  attempt  has  been  made  to  induce  you,  my  brethren, 
to  believe  that  your  co-operation  in  Bible  Societies,  and  in  the 
American  Society  in  particular,  will  prove  injurious  to  your 
Church.  Whenever  it  shall  be  demonstrated  that  Bible  So- 
cieties, in  the  pursuit  of  their  legitimate  object,  the  distribution 
of  the  uncommented  Scriptures,  will  undermine  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church,  it  will  be  the  indispensable  duty  of  every 
conscientious  Episcopalian  to  abandon — not  Bible  Societies,  but 


1816]  William  Jay's  "Appeal."  9? 

a  Church  which,  it  will  then  appear,  is  not  founded  on  the  Word 
of  God. 

The  only  Episcopalian  in  this  country,  who  has  publicly,  and 
in  his  own  name,  and  on  general  principles,  opposed  the  co- 
operation of  Episcopalians  in  Bible  Societies,  and  particularly 
in  the  American  Bible  Society,  is  the  Bishop  of  New-York.  It 
will  therefore  be  paying  but  a  proper  respect  to  the  rank  and 
character  of  this  distinguished  prelate,  to  give  his  arguments  a 
candid  and  deliberate  examination. 

No  sooner  was  the  American  Bible  Society  organized,  and 
before  the  address  of  the  convention  explaining  their  motives 
and  views,  or  the  constitution  of  the  Society,  exhibiting  its  nature, 
had  issued  from  the  press,  than  Dr.  Hobart  inserted  in  a  New 
York  newspaper  an  Address  to  Episcopalians,  dissuading  them 
from  joining  the  new  Society.  Let  us  examine  his  arguments 
and  see  if  they  are  sufficiently  cogent  to  drive  us  from  a  Church 
which  we  have  hitherto  believed  to  be  both  scriptural  and  apos- 
tolic. We  will  state  his  principal  arguments,  in  the  order  they 
present  themselves  in  his  Address,  and  in  his  own  words. 

There  is  one  evil  consequence  which  the  Bishop  apprehends 
from  this  Society,  and  which  he  is  himself  labouring  to  produce; 
and  this  is,  that  the  credit  of  the  institution  will  eventually  be- 
long to  the  Presbyterians.  At  present  the  credit  of  establishing 
a  great  national  Institution  for  the  diffusion  of  the  Scriptures, 
is  divided  between  the  Presbyterians  and  Episcopalians.  The 
first  proposal  was  made  by  the  New-Jersey  Bible  Society,  of 
which  the  President  is  a  Presbyterian,  and  an  Episcopal  clergy- 
man, Dr.  Wharton,  a  Vice  President.  In  the  Convention  which 
formed  the  Society,  an  Episcopalian  presided,  and  several  Epis- 
copal clergymen  and  laymen  were  present  as  delegates.  In  the 
Committee  which  drafted  the  Constitution  we  find  an  Episcopal 
clergyman  and  layman.  In  the  Board  of  Managers,  and  among 
the  Vice  Presidents  of  the  Society  are  many  of  the  most  dis- 
tinguished Episcopalians  in  the  country.  Which  denomination 
is  to  enjoy  the  high  credit  of  supporting  the  Society  remains  yet 
to  be  seen ;  but  should  the  Bishop  succeed  in  depriving  it  of  Epis- 
copal patronage,  who  ought  to  be  blamed,  should  the  credit  of 
the  Institution  "eventually  be  that  of  the  very  numerous  and 
respectable  Presbyterian  denomination?"       *       *       *      *       ♦ 


100  William  Jay's  "Appeal."  [1816 

As  to  the  manner  in  which  the  Bible  Society  will  endanger 
the  Church,  we  must  remain  wholly  in  ignorance  until  the 
Bishop  shall  inform  us ;  especially  as  we  can  hear  of  no  Church, 
either  in  this  or  other  countries  which  has  suffered  from  these 
alarming  associations. 

"Before  any  Bible  Society  was  established  in  the  United 
States  the  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society 
was  organized  in  this  city." 

Had  this  assertion  been  true,  it  is  not  easy  to  understand  how 
it  could  affect  the  question  at  issue ;  but  the  fact  is  misstated,  and 
haste  and  "excess  of  zeal"  must  be  the  Bishop's  apology  for 
his  incorrectness.  On  the  12th  December,  1808,  the  Philadel- 
phia Bible  Society  was  instituted;  on  the  nth  May,  1809,  the 
Connecticut  Bible  Society;  and  the  13th  July,  1809,  the  Massa- 
chusetts Bible  Society;  and  it  was  not  till  the  month  of  October, 
1809,  that  the  "New-York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  So- 
ciety" appeared;  an  antidote  to  the  spreading  influence  of  Bible 

We  have  now  examined  the  arguments  of  the  Bishop,  and 
have  shown  that  many  of  them  are  founded  on  erroneous  views 
of  the  constitution  of  the  American  Bible  Society;  and  that, 
even  admitting  the  soundness  of  the  rest,  it  would  at  least  be 
good  policy  in  the  Episcopalians  to  lose  no  time  in  connecting 
themselves  with  that  Institution. 

If  in  this  discussion  we  have  treated  the  opinions  of  Bishop 
Hobart  with  freedom,  it  ought  to  be  remembered  that  the  time, 
and  the  mode,  which  he  selected  for  giving  those  opinions  to 
the  public  invited  freedom  of  remark.  We  have  said  nothing 
of  the  Bishop's  motives,  for  whether  good  or  bad,  they  could 
not  affect  his  arguments;  we  are,  however,  too  well  acquainted 
with  his  character,  and  have  too  often  witnessed  his  exertions 
in  the  cause  of  religion,  to  suspect  for  a  moment,  that  they  are 
any  other  than  what  he  declares  them  to  be;  and  we  are  fully 
persuaded  that  he  differs  from  his  venerable  and  right  reverend 
associates,  not  in  zeal  for  the  glory  of  God,  but  only  in  opinion 
as  to  the  best  means  of  promoting  it. 

The  effect  of  the  Address  and  the  Appeal  seems  to  have  been 
to  stimulate  the  formation  of  Bible  and  Prayer  Book  Societies 


1816]  Letter  from  Dr.  Abercrombie.  101 

in  places  where  they  did  not  exist  before,  and  also  to  make,  some 
more  decided  in  their  determination  to  foster  "the  Bible  cause."* 
Dr.  McVickar  prints  in  his  "Professional  Years"  two  letters 
to  the  Bishop  on  this  subject.  One  is  from  the  learned  Dr. 
James  Abercrombie,  one  of  the  assistants  of  Bishop  White  in 
the  United  Churches  of  Philadelphia,  whose  sound  judgment  in 
ecclesiastical  matters  was  universally  recognized: 

Philadelphia,  May  29th,  1816. 
Right  Rev.  and  dear  Sir : 

I  received  two  days  ago  a  packet,  either  immediately  from 
you,  or  transmitted,  I  presume,  by  your  order,  containing  your 
Address  at  the  interment  of  Bishop  Moore,  and  two  on  the  sub- 
ject of  your  recently  established  Bible  Society.  I  have  read  them 
with  the  same  high  degree  of  pleasure  and  improvement  which 
I  have  always  derived  from  your  publications.  I  perfectly 
coincide  with  your  opinion  with  respect  to  the  duty  and  expe- 
diency of  our  (Episcopalians)  connecting  our  Prayer  Book  with 
the  Bible,  as  its  true  and  proper  companion  and  expositor. 

Go  on,  my  good  Sir,  in  supporting,  defending,  and  extending 
our  Church.  The  prayers  of  its  orthodox  members  will  assured- 
ly ascend  to  heaven  in  your  behalf,  and  the  blessings  of  its 
divine  Head  will  as  certainly  await  you  both  in  this  world  and 
that  which  is  to  come.  I  most  cordially  thank  you,  my  great  and 
good  friend,  for  your  kind  attention  to  me,  and  am. 

With  the  most  profound  respect, 
And  sincere  affection,  yours 

James  Abercrombie. 

I,  An  Appeal  to  the  Christians  of  America  in  behalf  of  the  American 
Bible  Society,  including  a  Defence  of  Its  Constitution,  a  Number  of  Facts 
proving  the  Necessity  of  its  Establishment,  and  an  Answer  to  the  Objections 
which  have  been  made  against  it. 

"The  love  of  Christ  constraineth  us." — 2  Cor.  v.  14. 

"Now  I  say  unto  you,  refrain  from  these  men,  and  let  them  alone;  for  if 
this  counsel  or  work  be  of  men,  it  shall  come  to  nought;  but  if  it  be  of 
God,  ye  cannot  overthrow  it,  lest  haply  ye  be  found  to  fight  against  God." — 
Acts  V.  38,  39. 

By  a  Lay  Member  of  the  Convention  which  formed  the  Society.  New- 
York:  Published  by  A.  T.  Goodrich,  No.  96  Broadway.  J.  Seymour,  Print 
1816. 


102  Letter  from  '*J.  B;  W/'  [1816 


The  other  is  from  a  gentleman  ^^'h6m  Dr.  McVickar  designates 
as  "J.  B.  W."  but  is  evidently  the  distinguished  Philadelphian, 
the  Hon.  John  Bradford  Wallace,  a  statesman  £ind  a  scholar. 

Philadelphia,  June  8th,  i8i6. 
Right  Rev.  and  dear  Sir : 

I  received,  a  few  days  since,  through  the  hands  of  Mrs.  Mc- 
Pherson  the  little  packet  yoti  were  good  enough  to  send  to  me, 
and  read  the  pamphlets  which  it  contained  with  that  interest  and 
pleasure  which  I  do  everything  which  comes  from  the  same  pen. 
The  arguments  in  favour  of  uniting  the  distribution  of  the 
Prayer-Book  with  the  Bible  I  am  riot  able  to  answer,  nor  have 
I  met  with  any  who  could  do  it  satisfactorily  to  me. 

Far  be  it  from  me  to  limit  the  circulation  of  either,  and,  if 
otily  one  could  be  distributed,  no  man  can  hesitate  which  it 
should  be ;  but  in  a  given  number  of  books  distributed  in  a  neigh- 
bourhood, especially  in  new  settlements  a  few  Bibles  and  the  rest 
Prayer-Books,  would,  probably,  be  more  useful  than  the  whole 
number  being  Bibles.  We  all  know  to  what  extravagances  the 
people  in  most  of  our  new  settlements  are  occasionally  led  by 
the  ignorance  and  fanaticism  of  itinerant  preachers.  W^ith  the 
Prayer-Book  in  their  hands,  in  which  the  doctrines  of  the  Bible 
are  succinctly  and  clearly  displayed,  especially  with  it  to  pray 
from,  there  would  be  no  great  danger  of  their  going  much  out 
of  the  way.  Besides  which  it  is  the  best  substitute  for  living 
teachers.     Truly,  "the  Liturgy  preaches." 

Your  dissertation,  by  way  of  appendix  to  the  Address  at 
Bishop  Moore's  funeral,  gave  me  much  satisfaction.  It  estab- 
lishes the  position  it  undertook  to  establish,  most  clearly.  I  al- 
ways knew  it  to  be  a  doctrine  of  our  Church  but  never  before 
had  it  fully  and  satisfactorily  explained.^ 

I  wish  much  to  see  your  sermons  upon  baptism  which  you 
have  promised  us. 

With  great  esteem  and  affection, 

J.  B.  W.* 

1.  The  doctrine  of  the  intermediate  state. 

2.  Early  Years  of  Bishop  Hobart.    p.  420. 

This  letter  does  not  appear  to  have  been  preserved  as  it  is  not  among  those 
in  the  General  Convention  Archives,  so  far  as  research  has  been  made. 


CHAPTER  V. 

CONTENTS. 

Address  by  the  Rev.  L.  Bayard  —  William  Jay's  "Dtalogtie  between  a 
Clergyman  and  a  Layman"  —  "Some  Questions  and  Answers"  —  Annual 
Meeting  of  the  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  1817  — 
Reports  from  Various  Bible  and  Prayer  Book  Societies  —  Seventh  Annual 
RepKDrt  —  First  Report  of  the  Auxiliary  Society  —  Anniversary  Service  of 
the  Auxiliary  in  St.  Paul's  Chapel  —  Address  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  How  — 
Sunday  Schools  in  New  York  and  in  Trinity  Parish  —  Annual  Meeting 
of  the  N.  Y.  B.  &  C.  P.  B.  Society,  February,  1817  — Alterations  in  the 
Constitution  —  Agreement  Proposed  with  the  Auxiliary  as  to  Stereotype 
Plates  —  Letter  from  the  Rev.  Stephen  Jewett  —  Organization  of  the  Wash- 
ington and  Essex  Counties  Bible  and  Prayer  Book  Society  —  Also  the 
Dutchess  County  Auxiliary  Society  —  Annual  Meeting,  March,  1818  — 
Eighth  Annual  Report  —  Extra  Meeting  Called  to  Fill  the  Place  of  the  Rev. 
Dr.  How  —  Sermon  by  Mr.  Lyell  —  Intimate  Relations  of  the  New  York 
Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  and  the  New  York  Auxiliary  — 
Second  Annual  Report  of  the  Auxiliary  Society  —  Second  Anniversary 
Meeting  of  the  Auxiliary,  January  26,  1818  —  Election  of  Managers  and 
Officers  —  Address  by  the  Rev.  John  McVickar. 

CHAMPIONING  the  cause  of  Bible  and  Prayer  Book 
Societies  the  Rev.  Lewis  P.  Bayard,  Rector  of  Trinity 
Church,  Newark,  deHvered  an  Address  before  the  New- 
ark Female  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society, 
at  the  adoption  of  their  Constitution,  May  23,  1816.  This  Ad-. 
dress  was  subsequently  printed.  In  it  he  sides  with  Bishop  Ho- 
bart,  and  cites  authorities  and  arguments  in  favour  of  Liturgies 
and  precomposed  prayers.     He  says  in  conclusion : 

"Convinced  of  the  excellence  of  that  Liturgy  which  we  use  in 
our  Churches,  of  its  soundness  in  Doctrine,  and  its  admirable 
solemnity  and  propriety  in  the  worship  of  the  sanctuary ;  you  will 
not  hesitate  to  send  it  forth  with  the  Bible,  to  assist  by  the  bless- 
ing of  God,  the  uninstntcted  and  unenlightened  in  the  important 
development  of  divine  truth,  and  to  stand  among  the  people  as  a 
witness  of  the  primitive  faith,  and  the  Apostolic  orders  of  the 
Ministry."^ 

I.    Page  16. 

X03 


104  "A  Dialogue."  [1817 

The  Address  of  Mr.  Bayard  was  noticed  by  Mr.  William  Jay, 
in  a  pamphlet  entitled  "A  Dialogue  between  a  Clergyman  and  a 
Layman  on  the  Subject  of  Bible  Societies.  By  A  Churchman. 
New  York:  Published  by  the  Author.  1817."  This  pamphlet  is 
bound  up  with  the  volumes  of  pamphlets  issued  by  Mr.  William 
Jay  and  now  in  the  library  of  Bedford  House.  As  the  selection 
of  the  pamphlets  and  their  binding  was  done  by  Mr.  Jay  himself 
we  are  thus  enabled  to  assign  the  right  authorship  to  many 
pamphlets  now  very  rare  and  scarce.  The  writer  of  this  History 
desires  to  take  this  opportunity  of  expressing  his  thanks  to  the 
present  owner  of  Bedford  House,  Colonel  John  Jay,  for  his  cour- 
tesy in  placing  at  the  writer's  disposal  pamphlets,  documents  and 
correpondence  belonging  to  his  grandfather. 

In  the  "Dialogue"  the  witer  naturally  makes  the  Layman  have 
the  best  of  the  argument.  The  Clergyman  takes  the  side  of 
Bishop  Hobart  and  the  Prayer  Book  Societies,  while  the  Layman 
espouses  the  cause  of  the  Bible  Societies.  Towards  the  end  of 
the  Dialogue  Layman  says : 

"H  Mr.  Bayard  and  Dr.  How  may  without  sin  utterly  contemn 
and  set  at  defiance  'the  godly  admonitions  of  the  Bishops  of  the 
Church,  and  represent  that  effort  in  favour  of  which  the  Bishops 
declare  themselves  called  forth  by  the  high  duties  of  their  sta- 
tion to  bear  their  testimony,  the  one  as  an  attempt  to  separate 
what  God  has  joined;  and  the  other  as  an  unscriptural  plan  to 
diffuse  the  light  of  religious  truth ;  why  may  not  I  take  the  liberty 
of  consulting  my  conscience,  and  in  obedience  to  its  dictates,  to 
reject  the  advice  of  a  single  Bishop,  and  to  follow  the  advice  and 
the  example  of  all  the  rest?"^ 

Among  the  other  pamphlets  now  at  Bedford  House  is  one  en- 
titled "Some  Questions  and  Answers  on  the  Subject  of  the 
American  Bible  Society.  By  A  Clergyman.  New- York :  Print- 
ed for  the  Author,  by  Van  Winkle  and  Wiley,  No.  3  Wall- 
Street.  1 81 6."  This  was  probably  written  by  the  Rev.  Samuel 
Nicholls,  who  became  Rector  of  Bedford  in  18 17,  as  it  bears 
throughout  marks  of  Mr.  William  Jay's  style.  The  only  other 
clergyman  who  might  have  written  it  is  the  Rev.  Dr.  Milnor,  but 
he  had  an  individual  style  of  his  own. 

The  writer  devotes  most  of  his  space  in  replying  to  the  argu- 

I.    Page  26. 


1817]  Annual  Meeting.  105 

ments  adduced  by  Dr.  Hobart  in  his  "Address  to  Episcopalians." 
He  quotes  also  from  an  "Answer  to  Presbyter  by  An  Episcopa- 
lian," a  pamphlet  which  the  present  writer  has  been  uable  to  find. 

At  the  Annual  meeting  of  the  New  York  Bible  and  Common 
Prayer  Book  Society,  February  15,  1817,  the  Secretary  laid  be- 
fore the  Board  the  following  documents  received  by  him  in  his 
official  capacity : 

"The  Second  Report  of  the  Female  Bible  Society  of  Philadel- 
phia." 

"The  Third  Annual  Report  of  the  Bible  Society  of  Frederick 
County,  Virginia." 

"List  of  Bible  Societies  in  the  United  States  of  America." 

"The  Second  Annual  Report  of  the  West  Chester  Auxiliary 
Bible  Society." 

"Second  Annual  Report  of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Fred- 
ericksburg Bible  Society." 

"An  Address  delivered  before  the  Newark  Female  Bible  and 
Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  May  23,  1816,  by  the  Rev.  Lewis 
P.  Bayard,  A.M.,  Rector  of  Trinity  Church,  Newark." 

"Second  Report  of  the  Trustees  of  the  Connecticut  Reserve 
Bible  Society." 

"Constitution,  Address  and  First  Report  of  the  Bible  Society 
of  Delaware." 

"Circular  from  several  members  of  the  New  York  and  Aux- 
iliary Bible  Societies  informing  of  those  Societies  having  en- 
gaged Stereotype  plates  of  the  Holy  Bible." 

"Sixth  Report  of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  New  York 
Bible  Society." 

"The  First  Report  of  the  Saratoga  County  Bible  Society." 

"Fifth  Annual  Report  of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Orange 
Bible  and  Tract  Society." 

"The  First  Annual  Report  of  the  Providence  Auxiliary  Bible 
Society." 

"The  Second  Annual  Report  of  the  Female  Auxiliary  Bible 
Society  of  Baltimore." 

"The  First  Report  of  the  Bible  Society  of  Rensselaer  County." 

"Report  of  the  Directors  of  the  East  Tennessee  Bible  Society." 

"Seventh  Report  of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  New  York 
Bible  Society." 

"Report  of  the  Bible  Society  of  North  Carolina." 


106  Annual  Meeting.  [1817 

"The  Fifth  Report  of  the  Directors  of  the  Oneida  Bible  So- 
ciety." 

"The  Eighth  Report  of  the  Bible  Society  of  Philadelphia." 

"Seventh  Report  of  the  Connecticut  Bible  Society." 

"The  Secretary  also  read  a  letter  (see  papers  on  file)  from  Mrs. 
Eliza  Dugan,  Secretary  of  the  'Protestant  Episcopal  Female 
Society  of  Baltimore,'  giving  information  of  the  establishment 
of  that  Society  for  the  purpose  of  distributing  religious  tracts, 
and  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer."     (Folio  60.) 

The  Secretary  from  the  Standing  Committee  submitted,  Feb- 
ruary 19,  181 7,  the  following  resolutions  recommended  by  that 
body  to  the  adoption  of  the  Board  : 

"Resolved  that  a  set  of  stereotype  plates  of  the  Book  of  Com- 
mon Prayer,  of  the  octavo  size,  be  procured  by  this  Society ;  and 
that  the  Standing  Committee  be  authorized  to  have  this  resolu- 
tion carried  into  effect." 

"Resolved,  that  the  following  be  added  to  the  rules  and  regula- 
tions of  this  Society ;  viz :  Any  person  contributing  the  sum  of 
One  Dollar  to  the  funds  of  this  Society,  shall  be  entitled  to  one 
Bible  or  one  octavo  Prayer  Book ;  and  for  every  additional  contri- 
bution of  One  Dollar,  an  additional  Bible  or  Prayer  Book.  The 
Octavo  stereotype  Prayer  Books  to  be  distributed  only  to  con- 
tributors as  above  directed;  and  to  Auxiliary  or  other  Bible  and 
Common  Prayer  Book  Societies  on  the  same  terms." 

"Resolved,  that  it  be  proposed  to  the  Society  to  alter  the  first 
article  of  the  Constitution,  so  that  every  person  who  contributes 
$1  or  more  per  annum,  shall  be  a  member  of  the  Society."  (Fo- 
lio 63.) 

These  resolutions  were  respectively  adopted. 

The  Board  of  Managers  presented  this  as  their 

Seventh  Annual  Report. 

On  the  recurrence  of  the  anniversary  of  the  New  York 
Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  the  Board  of  Man- 
agers have  again  the  pleasure  to  remind  her  of  the  part  she 
is  bearing  in  the  characteristic  efforts  of  the  present  day,  which 
are  so  largely  promoting  the  interests  and  glory  of  the  Church 
of  the  Redeemer.  What  can  more  properly  comport  with  the 
encouraging  spirit  of  the  times,  than  diffusing  the  words  of 
everlasting  life,  and  a  knowledge  of  the  primitive  constitution, 


1817]  Seventh  Annual  Report.  10"7 

doctrines  and  worship  of  that  CathoHc  Church,  whose  universal 
reception  and  evangehcal  influence  among  men  is  to  constitute 
the  blessed  reign  of  millenial  glory;  and  whose  exalted  halle- 
lujahs, in  its  triumphant  state,  are  to  celebrate  the  eternal 
praises  of  God  and  the  Lamb !  With  this  animating  view  of  the 
character  of  their  institution  the  Board  respectfully  submit  to 
the  Society  a  report  of  their  proceedings  during  the  past  year. 

The  permanent  fund  of  the  Society  has  received  but  little 
augmentation  during  the  past  year,  in  consequence  of  a  large 
donation  to  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer 
Book  Society.  Still  it  has  somewhat  increased,  and  now  amounts 
to  the  sum  of  $4,301.89. 

During  the  past  year  340  English  Bibles,  and  570  Prayer 
Books  have  been  gratuitously  distributed. 

One  hundred  French  Bibles,  mentioned  in  the  report  of  last 
year,  as  having  been  purchased,  have  been  placed  with  the 
Bishop  to  be  disposed  of  by  him.  Some  of  them  have  been  given 
to  Mr.  Eleazar  Williams  (who  is  employed  by  the  Church  in 
this  Diocese  as  school  master,  catechist,  and  lay  reader  to  the 
Indians),  to  be  distributed  among  the  Indians  on  the  borders  of 
Canada,  and  in  that  province,  where  the  French  language  is 
generally  better  understood  than  the  English.  The  Rev.  Mr. 
Peneveyre,  Minister  of  the  French  Church  du  St.  Esprit,  in  this 
city,  has  also  been  authorized  by  the  Bishop  to  apply  for  any 
number  of  those  Bibles  which  may  be  usefully  distributed  by 
him. 

The  sum  of  $246.53  has  been  granted  to  the  New  York  Aux- 
iliary Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  to  aid  them  in 
the  purchase  of  a  set  of  stereotype  plates  of  the  Book  of  Com- 
mon Prayer. 

At  a  late  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Managers  the  sum  of  $430 
was  voted  for  the  equal  purchase  of  Bibles  and  Prayer  Books, 
to  be  gratuitously  distributed  according  to  the  established  rules 
of  the  Board  on  that  subject. 

A  resolution  has  lately  passed  the  Board  to  procure  stereotype 
plates  of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  of  the  8vo  size. 

The  Board  has  been  for  some  time  deliberating  on  measures 
for  the  augmentation  of  the  funds  of  the  Society.  The  situation 
of  our  country,  and  various  circumstances  connected  with  it, 
have  led  to  the  postponement  of  this  business  from  time  to  time; 


108  Seventh  Annual  Report.  [1817 

but  the  Board  hopes  that  some  effectual  plan  will  soon  be  adopted 
for  the  accomplishment  of  so  desirable  an  object  Still  the 
Board  are  persuaded  that  the  Society  will  join  them  in  gratitude 
to  God  for  the  good  which  they  have  been  instrumental  in  doing. 
The  Bibles  gratuitously  distributed  by  this  Society,  since  its 
foundation,  amount  to  1,990,  the  New  Testaments  to  590,  and  the 
Prayer  Books  to  2,766.  Total  number  of  Bibles,  New  Testa- 
ments and  Prayer  Books,  5,256. 

We  may  surely  indulge  the  pious  and  animating  hope  that  our 
labours  have  not  been  without  effect  in  awakening  the  careless 
sinner,  in  comforting  the  penitent,  in  encouraging  the  humble 
and  faithful ;  and  also  in  diffusing  the  practical  influence  of  the 
evangelical  doctrines,  the  primitive  order,  and  the  Scriptural 
worship  of  our  Church. 

It  is  gratifying  to  see  our  fellow  members  of  this  portion  of 
Christ's  Church  animated  by  its  blessed  spirit,  and  uniting  to 
diffuse  a  knowledge  of  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus.  Since  the  last 
report  most  satisfactory  proof  has  been  afforded  of  the  zealous 
and  beneficial  effects  of  the  Auxiliary  New-York  Bible  and 
Common  Prayer  Book  Society.  Too  much  cannot  be  said  of 
this  very  encouraging  and  animating  evidence  of  the  pious 
emulation  of  the  young  members  of  our  Church.  The  stereotype 
plates  of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  which  they  have  pro- 
cured have  materially  lessened  the  expenses  of  that  inestimable 
volume,  and  aided  its  extensive  circulation.  It  appears  from 
their  report  that  during  the  first  year  of  their  operations  no  less 
than  521  Bibles,  and  2,750  Prayer  Books  have  been  distributed 
through  that  Society,  an  extent  of  operation  surpassing,  it  is 
believed,  that  of  any  similar  institution  in  this  city.  May  God 
be  with  them  in  their  work  and  labour  of  love ! 

Within  the  past  year  information  has  been  received  of  the 
institution  of  Female  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Societies 
in  Newark  and  Elizabeth  Town,  New-Jersey,  auxiliary  to  the 
Episcopal  Society  of  New-Jersey  for  the  distribution  of  Bibles, 
Prayer  Books,  Religious  Tracts,  &c.,  of  the  Prayer  Book  and 
Tract  Society  of  Newport,  Rhode  Island — of  the  Bible  and 
Common  Prayer  Book  Society  of  Connecticut — of  the  Albany 
Female  Prayer  Book  and  Tract  Society — of  the  Protestant  Epis- 
copal Female  Society  of  Baltimore  for  the  distribution  of  Prayer 
Books  and  Religious  Tracts — and  of  the  Common  Prayer  Book 


1817]  Seventh  Annual  Report.  109 

and  Tract  Society  of  Virgina.  And  with  particular  pleasure 
we  notice  the  establishment  of  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book 
Societies,  as  auxiliary  to  ours,  in  the  towns  of  Windham  and 
Greeneville,  in  the  County  of  Greene,  in  this  State.  It  will 
doubtless  also  be  gratifying  to  you  to  hear  that  two  Bible  and 
Common  Prayer  Book  Societies  have  been  lately  established  in 
the  British  Province  of  Upper  Canada,  and  are  patronized  by 
the  most  distinguished  provincial  officers. 

As  founded  upn  the  same  general  principle,  and  having  in  view 
the  same  ultimate  object,  it  affords  us  pleasure  to  notice,  also,  the 
recent  establishment  of  an  Episcopal  Tract  Society  in  Boston, 
of  the  Episcopal  Missionary  Society  of  Philadelphia,  having 
principally  in  view  the  establishment  and  maintenance  of  our 
Church  in  the  Western  States — of  the  Episcopal  Missionary 
Society  of  Delaware — of  the  Newark  (N.  J.)  Church  Mission- 
ary Society,  and  especially  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Mis- 
sionary Society  of  yong  men  and  others  lately  established  in 
this  city,  for  the  purpose  of  aiding  the  ecclesiastical  authority  of 
the  Diocese  in  the  support  of  missionaries. 

These  facts  are  communicated  to  the  Society  with  the  tender 
of  sincere  congratulations  on  the  spirit  which  thus  seems  to  pre- 
vail among  the  members  of  that  portion  of  the  Church  which 
He  hath  planted  in  this  State.  Let  them  but  be  truly  influenced 
by  her  principles  of  love  to  the  mystical  body  of  the  Redeemer 
— her  holy  zeal  in  His  cause — and  her  regard  for  the  souls  of 
men;  let  them  but  suffer  her  prosperity,  and  the  glory  of  her 
divine  Head  to  have  their  just  proportion  of  claim  to  liberality; 
and  she  will  be  enabled  to  stand  foremost  in  this  new  world 
among  the  advocates  of  the  Cross  of  Christ;  she  will  be  most 
efficient  in  spreading  the  Knowledge  of  the  Word  of  God  and 
faith  in  a  divine  Redeemer.  Be  it  our  prayer,  be  it  our  vigor- 
ous and  determined  effort  that  she  may  be  thus  honoured,  for 
His  sake  who  hath  redeemed  us  by  His  own  most  precious 
blood.  By  order  of  the  Board. 

Benj.  T.  Onderdonk,  Secretary. 

New  York,  Feb.  19,  1817.^ 


I.  This  seems  to  be  the  second  printed  report  which  can  be  found.  It  is 
printed  on  pp.  154,  155,  156,  of  The  Christian  Journal,  Vol.  I.,  No.  10,  Sat- 
urday, May  24,  181 7. 


J10  Auxiliary's  First  Report.  [1817 


The  allusions  made  in  this  report  to  the  Auxiliary  make  of 
special  interest  the  record  of  work  done  by  that  organization. 
The  most  essential  portions  of  the  repprt  are  here  given; 

First  Report. 

Upon  this,  the  first  anniversary  of  our  Association,  the  Board 
of  Managers  cannot  refrain  from  expressing  their  gratitude  to 
the  Supreme  Disposer  of  events  for  affording  the  opportunity 
to  tender  their  congratulations  that  Peace  continues  to  shed  its 
fragrance  upon  the  Christian  world.  Its  benignant  smile  is 
meliorating  the  human  heart.  Divine  Truth  beams  with 
brightened  lustre,  and  idolatry  is  crumbling  before  its  effulgent 
and  majestic  march. 

Amid  the  splendours  of  so  holy  a  triumph,  it  is  cheering  to  re- 
flect that  we  have  not  been  idle;  alhough  difficulties  have  ob- 
structed our  path,  we  feel  justified  in  pious  exultation.  Our 
Institution  is  indeed  in  its  infancy;  but  its  infancy  presages  a 
vigorous  and  useful  maturity.  It  presented  its  claims  to  atten- 
tion at  a  moment  peculiarly  inauspicious;  when  public  opinion 
was  engaged  in  support  of  a  National  Association,  and  public 
sympathy  plighted  to  a  host  of  beneficent  charities.  It  came 
like  the  religion  it  professes  to  recommend,  without  the  patron- 
age of  age  inspiring  veneration;  of  talent  enlisting  confidence; 
or  wealth  imparting  power.  x\  system  was  to  be  organized;  in- 
formation to  be  laboriously  acquired;  and  disciples  ascertained, 
who  were  at  once  to  seek,  and  competent  to  relieve  religious 
penury. 

But  the  smile  of  Heaven  has  cheered  our  path,  and  inclined 
the  hearts  of  our  fellow  citizens  to  cherish  our  exertions.  We 
have  appealed  to  their  pious  patronage;  and,  in  despite  of  the 
general  pressure,  the  appeal  has  been  munificently  sanctioned. 

Our  Treasury  Report  exhibits  an  aggregate  in  receipts  and 
dues,  during  the  year,  of  $2,753.01. 

Of  this  sum  $330.50  were  derived  from  collections  volun- 
tarily made  by  ladies,  members  of  the  Church;  $20  from  the 
Episcopal  Society  of  New-Jersey;  and  the  residue  partly  from 
subscriptions,  but  principally  from  gratuitous  contributions. 

Under  the  animating  influence  of  so  bountiful  a  patronage, 
it  will  not  surprise  you  that  we  have  proceeded  with  confidence. 
We  have  opened  a  correspondence  with  almost  every  section  of 


1817]  Auxiliary's  First  Report  111 

this  and  the  adjoining  States,  and,  in  general,  throughout  the 
United  States;  and  laid,  we  fondly  hope,  the  basis  of  much 
future  usefulness.  Our  communications  to  the  British  and 
Foreign  Bible  Society  have  been  reciprocated  with  benedictions 
upon  our  undertaking,  and  a  donation  of  books.  We  have  ad- 
dressed circulars  to  most  of  the  congregations  in  the  United 
States,  soliciting  co-operation,  and  recommending  the  establish- 
rnent  of  similar  Institutions. 

We  have  been  emboldened  to  purchase  a  set  of 

Stereotype  Plates  for  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer. 

The  inducements  were  powerful,  and,  we  hope,  will  meet  your 
approbation.  The  quality  has  been  improved,  the  price  dimin- 
ished, and  our  ability  to  be  useful  enlarged.  The  Book  of  Com- 
mon Prayer  formerly  cost  us  forty-seven  and  a  half  cents;  we 
can  now  furnish  it  of  superior  quality  at  thirty-eight  cents.  The 
type  is  durable,  and  the  possession  of  it  enables  our  Institution 
to  become  the  fountain  of  supply  to  every  other  in  the  Union.  It 
was  the  first,  and  is,  we  believe,  the  only  now  used  in  this 
country.  We  have  taken  measures  to  apply  to  the  Legislature 
for  an  Act  of  Incorporation,  and  anticipate  many  facilities  from 
its  attainment.. 

We  have  sought  information  abroad  and  at  home.  From  al- 
most every  quarter  the  intelligence  is  cheering  and  impressive. 
A  rich  and  animating  fervour  seems  kindling  everywhere.  In 
various  parts  of  the  State  our  scattered  spiritual  brethren  are 
forming  themselves  into  congregations,  or  associating  for  wor- 
ship, and  have  solicited  that  aid  which  it  is  the  object  of  our 
Society  to  afford.  At  Newbern,  North-Carolina,  our  com- 
munications have  been  received  with  gratitude,  and  an  Asso- 
ciation organized  in  conformity.  The  accounts  from  various 
other  quarters  are  not  less  pleasing.  Our  distributions  have 
been  various  and  extensive.  During  the  year  there  have  been 
issued  from  the  Depository  521  Bibles  and  2,750  Common 
Prayer  Books;  a  large  portion  of  which  has  been  disposed  of 
at  home;  but  when  opportunity  offered,  solicitations  from 
abroad  have  received  attention. 

******** 

The  principles  to  which  we  are  attached  may  forbid  us  to 
co-operate  on  all  occasions  with  others;  but  we  venerate  their 


112  Auxiliary's  First  Report.  [1817 

motives,  and  admire  their  zeal.  In  giving,  we  solicit  charity  of 
constniction.  We  believe  that  the  Bible  has  power  to  subdue 
the  wickedness  of  man;  and  that  it  is  destined  to  force  its 
triumphant  way,  and  stand  in  the  moral,  as  the  sun  in  the 
physical  firmament,  the  source  of  light,  and  the  emblem  of  Di- 
vinity. But  we  also  believe  that  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer 
is  the  purest  exposition  of  its  sublime  doctrine  that  human 
wisdom  has  ever  presented  to  human  weakness.  It  is  recom- 
mended for  our  judgments  by  the  devotion  it  inculcates;  and 
embalmed  in  our  hearts  by  the  benedictions  of  our  fathers,  who 
sleep  in  death.  It  is  the  vestibule  through  which  we  pass  to  the 
altar  and  worship  of  God.  The  same  duty  therefore  that  ani- 
mates us  to  distribute  the  Bible  impels  us  to  accompany  the 
blessing  with  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer;  and,  in  presenting 
the  one  as  the  Word  of  God,  to  recommend  the  other  as  an  in- 
centive to  its  perusal.  But  the  duty  is  in  meekness,  and  the 
recommendation  in  peace  and  persuasion. 

In  meekness  and  in  peace  let  us  persevere,  and  cherish  the 
belief  that  the  disciples  of  our  Church,  under  the  auspices  of  a 
beneficent  Providence,  will  aid  in  diffusing  the  blessings  they 
enjoy,  and  the  doctrines  of  salvation  they  profess. 

By  order,  Ferris  Pell,  Chairman.^ 

From  the  Treasurer's  statement,  annexed  to  the  Report,  we 
learn  that  donations  had  been  received  from  the  Female  Prayer 
Book  Societies  of  Elizabeth  Town  and  Newark,  the  Long  Island 
Bible  and  Prayer  Book  Society  and  the  Prayer  Book  and  Tract 
Society  of  Massachusetts,  aggregating  $298.00.  The  cost  of  the 
stereotype  plates  was  $1,221.70,  and  in  addition  there  had  been 
spent  for  Bibles  $335.87,  and  for  Prayer  Books  $686.68,  leaving 
a  balance  in  the  Treasury  of  $137.71.  The  proceedings  of  the 
annual  meeting  which  are  also  appended  show  that  Bishop 
Hobart  offered  resolutions  of  congratulation  and  commendation 
to  the  Board  of  Managers,  and  for  the  printing  of  1,500  copies 
of  the  report. 

These  officers  were  elected  under  the  title  of  Board  of  Man- 
agers : 

I.  The  Christian  Journal,  Vol.  i.,  No.  3,  pp.  42,  43,  Saturday,  February 
IS,  1817. 


1817]  Address  by  Dr.  How.  113 

Edward  N.  Cox,  President. 

Guy  C.  Bagley,  First  Vice  President. 

Gerardus  A.  Cooper,  Second  Vice  President. 

Floyd  Smith,  Third  Vice  President. 

Benjamin  Haight,  Corresponding  Secretary. 

William  Onderdonk,  Jun.,  Recording  Secretary. 

J.  Smyth  Rogers,  Treasurer. 

Thomas  N.  Stanford,  Agent. 

Managers: — Clement  C.  Moore,  Luther  Bradish,  Edward  R. 
Jones,  Cornelius  R.  Duffie,  Wm.  E.  Dunscomb,  David  A.  Clark- 
son,  John  Watts,  Jun.,  Duncan  P.  Campbell,  John  H.  Hill,  Lewis 
Loutrel,  David  Austen,  Ferris  Pell,  Alexis  P.  Proal,  John  An- 
thon,  Jonathan  Goodhue,  Charles  Nichols,  Charles  Keeler, 
Robert  C  Barfe.^ 

The  Auxiliary  held  on  the  evening  of  Tuesday,  January  i8, 
1817,  an  anniversary  service  in  St.  Paul's  Chapel.  The  ad- 
dress was  delivered  by  the  Rev.  Thomas  Y.  How,  D.D.,  Assistant 
Rector  of  Trinity  Church.  It  was  a  consideration  of  the  state 
of  the  world  at  that  time  based  upon  the  prophecies  of  Daniel. 
Using  Faber  as  his  guide  he  unfolds  the  meaning  of  those  ob- 
scure utterances,  denouncing  the  great  Papal  Apostacy,  glancing 
at  the  rise  of  Mohammedanism,  the  spread  of  infidelity  from 
France,  which  had  been  counteracted  by  the  extraordinary  zeal 
which  had  been  aroused  among  Christian  people  for  the  good 
of  mankind.  He  used  as  an  illustration  the  Bell-Lancaster 
system  of  instruction  of  the  young.  He  further  instanced  the 
wider  circulation  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  through  the  great 
British  Societies,  and  the  extended  and  beneficial  effects  of  Sun- 
day School  instruction  both  in  England  and  America.  After 
reviewing  the  Biblical  plan  of  redemption  until  it  culminates  in 
the  Christian  Church,  and  a  brief  survey  of  the  history  of 
the  Christian  Church  he  returns  to  the  special  agencies  for  the 
diffusion  of  Christian  faith  and  knowledge  at  that  time,  and 
thus  continues: 

"The  establishment  of  Sunday  Schools  deserves  also  to  be 
mentioned  as  likely  to  raise  the  moral  character  of  all  the  places 
in  which  it  may  be  effectually  maintained.  Nor  can  I  pass  this 
subject  without  expressing  an  ardent  hope  that  a  complete  sys- 


I.    The  Christian  Journal,  Vol.  I.,  No.  3,  p.  44,  Saturday,  February  15, 1817. 
(8) 


114  Address  by  Dr.  How.  [181  7 

tern  of  these  schools  may  be  organized  and  prosecuted  in  the 
Episcopal  Churches  of  this  city  with  all  the  energy  and  perse- 
verance which  its  importance  deserves.^ 

"But  among  the  circumstances  which  do  honour  to  the  present 
time,  it  is  my  particular  duty  to  mention  the  zeal  which  has 
sprung  up  for  diffusing  the  light  of  the  Gospel  through  heathen 
countries,  and  for  bestowing  upon  the  inhabitants  of  Christian 
countries  themselves  those  advantages  of  the  word  and  ordi- 
nances of  God,  of  which  so  many  of  them  have  been  altogether, 
or  in  a  great  degree  deprived. 

"And  here  it  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  state,  that  the  first  So- 
ciety for  the  gratuitous  distribution  of  the  Bible  in  this  city  was 
established  by  the  members  of  our  Church.  The  Bible  and  Com- 
mon Prayer  Book  Society  was  instituted  so  long  ago  as  the  year 
1809.  The  plan  of  that  Society  was  not  hastily  adopted;  on 
the  contrary,  the  subject  was  well  considered.  It  appeared  to 
the  founders  of  the  Society  to  be  the  true  and  primitive  course 
to  connect,  in  imitation  of  the  venerable  Society  in  England 
for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge,  the  faith  and  the  Church; 
and  to  present  them  in  that  united  form  to  the  world.  Religious 
truth  has  been  thus  invariably  promulgated  by  divine  authority; 
it  has  not  been  merely  held  forth  in  the  abstract,  but  has  been 
connected   with   visible   ordinances,    and    embodied  in  a  visible 

"Again — what  has  been  the  result  where  the  reformation  from 
popery  was  not  conducted  upon  primitive  principles?  Look  at 
the  state  of  many  of  these  Societies,  on  the  continent  of  Europe, 
which  laid  aside  the  divinely  constituted  order  of  Bishops,  and 
thus  lost  the  ministry  and  ordinances  of  the  Christian  Church. 
How  grievously  have  they  fallen  from  the  distinguishing  doc- 
trines of  the  cross!  Passing  from  one  extreme  to  another,  they 
have  exchanged  the  absurdities  of  Calvinism  for  a  system  still 


I.  When  Sunday  Schools  were  -first  proposed,  some  persons,  friendly  to 
the  objects  of  these  institutions,  were  desirous,  before  engaging  in  them,  to 
ascertain,  by  experiment,  how  far  they  were  practicable,  as  well  as  most 
eligible  method  of  conducting  them.  They  have  been  established  in  various 
religious  congregations  in  the  city.  There  are  now,  and  have  been  for  some 
time,  two  large  and  flourishing  Sunday  Schools  in  Christ  Church,  two  in 
St.  George's,  and  two  in  St.  Stephen's.  May  they  be  speedily  organized  in 
all  the  other  Episcopal  Churches! 


1817]  Address  by  Dr.  How.  115 

more  frightful — the  impious  system  of  Arius  and  Socinus,  which 
denying  the  divinity  of  our  blessed  Saviour,  extinguishes  all 
fervour  of  piety,  and  destroys  that  deep  humility  which  nothing 
but  the  doctrine  of  gratuitous  salvation  through  the  merits  of  a 
crucified  Redeemer  can  ever  implant  in  the  heart.  If  we  direct 
our  attention  to  England,  what  a  scene  of  confusion,  impiety, 
and  heresy  is  presented  to  our  view  at  the  period  when,  the  bar- 
riers of  a  primitive  episcopacy  being  thrown  down,  no  less  than 
sixty  different  sects  sprung  up;  maintaining,  many  of  them,  the 
most  absurd  and  the  most  licentious  principles. 

"Turning  to  our  own  country,  we  shall  find  additional  reason 
to  be  confirmed  in  the  view  we  have  taken  of  the  intimate  union 
between  primitive  truth  and  primitive  order — between  the  apos- 
tolic faith  and  the  apostolic  church.  What  a  lamentable  defec- 
tion from  the  distinguishing  doctrines  of  Christianity  has  taken 
place  in  the  Eastern  section  of  the  union!  The  Congregational 
Societies  of  Boston,  which,  half  a  century  ago,  were  wedded  to 
the  most  rigid  principles  of  Calvinism,  have  not  only  thrown  off 
those  principles,  but  have  proceeded  to  the  other  extreme  of 
denying  the  divinity  of  Christ,  and  salvation  through  the  pro- 
pitiary  merits  of  his  atonement.  It  is  much  to  be  feared  that 
this  departure  from  the  true  faith  will  pervade  the  Congrega- 
tional Societies  of  New  England,  and  that  it  will,  sooner  or 
later,  find  its  way  into  other  religious  bodies.  It  can  never,  my 
brethren,  enter  our  Church,  while  she  retains  her  apostolic  con- 
stitution, and  her  evangelical  liturgy.  They  will  forever  pre- 
serve to  her,  under  God,  those  precious  doctrines  of  the  cross, 
without  which  Christianity  loses  it  peculiar  character,  and  be- 
comes nothing  more  than  a  well  digested  system  of  natural  reli- 
gion. May  we  not,  then,  be  permitted  to  hope  that  this  pure 
branch  of  the  Catholic  Church  of  Christ,  which  it  has  pleased 
God  to  establish  in  our  country,  is  destined  to  be  the  bulwark  of 
the  true  faith — that  she  will  imbibe  more  and  more  deeply  the 
spirit  of  pious  fervour  which  animates  her  services,  and  thus 
grow,  and  flourish,  and  fill  this  new  world  ?  But,  in  order  to  this 
glorious  result,  we  must,  at  once,  drink  deep  of  her  evangelical 
spirit,  and  firmly  contend  for  her  primitive  faith  and  apostolic 
order.  "Hold  fast  the  form  of  sound  words" — "Contend  earn- 
estly for  the  faith."     It  is  absolutely  necessary,  my  brethren. 


116  Address  by  Dr.  How.  [1817 

that  we  should  unite  zeal  with  charity;  equally  avoiding  the 
extremes  of  indifference  to  the  truth  on  the  one  hand,  and  the 
maintenance  of  it  in  an  unchristian  temper  on  the  other.  Cher- 
ishing for  our  brethren  of  other  denominations  the  most  sincere 
good  will,  admiring  their  zeal,  and  honouring  their  exertions, 
we  must  at  the  same  time  bear  testimony  against  what  we  esteem 
their  errors,  and  expostulate  with  them,  in  the  meekness  of  the 
Gospel,  upon  their  unjustifiable  separation  from  the  Apostolic 

"It  affords  us  most  sincere  pleasure  to  state  that  the  example 
set  by  the  New-York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society 
in  1809,  has  been  followed  already  to  a  considerable  extent,  and 
promises  generally  to  prevail.  There  are  now  seven  Bible  and 
Prayer  Book  Societies  in  this  Diocess;^  in  the  neighbouring 
Diocess  of  Connecticut  a  similar  Society  has  been  formed,  co- 
extensive with  the  State;  and  upwards  of  an  hundred  agents 
appointed  in  its  different  parts  to  procure  subscriptions.  Two 
Societies  have  also  been  recently  established  in  the  Diocess  of 
New-Jersey,  within  a  few  miles  of  this  city.  Let  us  hope  that 
the  time  is  not  far  distant  when  there  will  be  a  Bible  and  Prayer 
Book  Society  in  almost  every  Episcopal  congregation  in  our 
country;  employing  part  of  its  funds  in  supplying  its  own 
wants  and  granting  the  remainder  to  some  central  Society  in 
each  Diocess,  which,  furnished  with  an  abundant  revenue,  will 
be  enabled  to  supply  the  means  of  building  up  our  Church  in 
those  recently  settled  districts  which  are  now  so  destitute  of  the 
blessings  of  Christian  worship,  and  which  would  receive  the 
ministrations  of  our  apostolic  Communion  with  the  utmost  joy 
and  gratitude.       *********** 

"And  you,  excellent  young  men!  founders  and  conductors  of 
this  Institution !  —  how  shall  I  .speak  your  merited  panegyric ! 
Instead  of  devoting  your  time  and  substance  to  the  pursuits  of 


I.  Since  the  delivery  of  this  Address,  intelligence  has  been  received  of  the 
formation  of  two  Bible  and  Prayer  Book  Societies ;  one  at  Greenville,  and  the 
other  at  Windham,  in  Greene  County — parishes  under  the  care  of  the  Rev. 
James  Thompson;  and  also  of  the  formation  of  a  Bible  and  Prayer  Book 
Society,  on  an  extensive  scale,  in  Kingston,  the  capital  of  Upper  Canada. 
The  two  Societies,  formed  by  Mr.  Thompson,  are  auxiliary  to  the  Bible  and 
Prayer  Book  Society  of  this  city. 


1817]  Address  by  Dr.  How.  117 

sensual  or  even  intellectual  pleasure,  how  noble  to  consecrate 
them  to  the  service  of  God!  Go  on  with  increasing  ardour  in 
your  laudable  career !  The  Church  will  pour  her  benedictions  on 
your  heads.  Your  Redeemer  will  aid  and  bless  you  with  the 
influences  of  his  Holy  Spirit.  In  labouring  with  pious  care  for 
the  salvation  of  others,  the  love  of  Christ  will,  more  and  more, 
constrain  your  own  hearts.  I  think  I  see  a  glorious  day  begin- 
ning to  dawn  upon  our  Church — I  think  I  see  a  spirit  arising 
within  her  which  will  lead  her  members  to  regard  no  labours  too 
severe,  no  sacrifices  too  costly,  no  sufferings  too  great  in  the 
cause  of  their  Lord  and  Master.  To  you,  young  men,  we  look 
to  set  an  example  of  pious  ardour,  of  generous  self-devotion. 
You  have  just  exhibited  another  proof  of  your  zeal  in  the  Mis- 
sionary Society  which  you  have  established  in  this  city.  Will 
you  pardon  me  for  again  pointing  out  to  you  an  object  eminently 
deserving  of  your  attention,  and  for  urging  you  to  lose  no  time 
in  its  accomplishment?  I  mean  the  establishment  of  a  complete 
system  of  Sunday  Schools  in  the  Episcopal  Churches  of  this  city, 
connected  together  by  some  board,  which  without  improperly 
interfering  with  the  particular  management  of  each  school,  shall 
exercise  a  general  care  over  the  whole,  and  bind  them  into  one 
harmonious  body.  Perhaps  there  is  no  institution  better  calcu- 
lated than  this  to  improve  the  moral  and  religious  character  of 
the  community. 

"Let  us  work  while  it  is  day — the  night  cometh,  when  no  man 
can  work.  The  constant  examples  before  our  eyes  of  sudden 
and  early  death,  should  make  us  feel  the  utter  vanity  of  the 
world,  and  animate  us  in  our  labour  of  love.  You  have  lately 
seen  one  of  the  greatest  ornaments  of  your  Society,  possessing 
the  esteem  and  affection  of  all  who  knew  him,  cut  off  in  the 
very  bloom  of  youth.^ 

"Oh  then!  let  us  increase  our  zeal,  and  multiply  our  efforts, 
Avhile  God  shall  spare  us  in  mercy ;  looking  to  Him  who  died  for 
us  for  light  and  strength;  surrendering  ourselves  without  re- 
serve to  his  guidance  and  devoting  ourselves  to  his  glory. 

"Lord !  we  are  thine  by  the  most  endearing  of  ties !  Thou 
didst  purchase  us  with  thine  own  blood !    Fill  us,  then,  with  thy 

I.    Dr.  John  W.  B.  Murray,  son  of  Mr.  George  W.  Murray,  of  this  city. 


118  Sunday  Schools.  [1817 

spirit !  Constrain  us  with  thy  love !  So  shall  we  live  and  die  for 
thee!"' 

It  must  not  be  inferred  from  the  note  that  Dr.  How  put  to  his 
sermon,  in  which  he  refers  to  the  Sunday  Schools  in  Christ 
Church,  St.  George's,  and  St.  Stephen's,  that  there  were  no  other 
Sunday  Schools  in  New  York  or  that  there  were  none  in  the 
mother  parish  of  Trinity  Church. 

This  was  far  from  being  the  case,  as  the  reader  may  see  by 
referring  to  Dr.  Dix's  History  of  Trinity  Parish.    He  says : 

"It  has  been  the  practice  in  Trinity  Parish  to  gather  the  chil- 
dren monthly  at  the  altar  rail,  to  hear  them  recite  the  catechism, 
and  then  to  give  such  explanation  of  various  parts  of  the  Ser- 
vices as  the  Rector  deemed  fit.  Dr.  Hobart  was  always  happy  in 
his  addresses  and  intercourse  with  children,  and  he  trained  the 
two  younger  assistants,  Mr.  Berrian  and  Mr.  Onderdonk,  in  his 
methods.  The  Bishop  compiled,  primarily  for  the  children  of 
that  Parish,  the  series  of  instruction  books  known  as  The  New 
York  Catechism,  which  only  recently  has  been  superseded  by 
more  modern  publications.  The  children  of  that  generation  had 
the  blessing  and  privilege,  which  seems  to  be  denied  to  those  of 
the  present  age,  of  living  in  homes  where  family  prayer,  religious 
conversation,  and  instruction  were  the  rule.  Conservative  parents 
looked  upon  Sunday-schools  as  an  innovation,  and  thought  that 
they  could  never  do  the  work  which  had  been  done  by  the  pastor 
and  the  parents  in  the  home. 

"This  is  evidently  the  reason  why  the  organization  of  Sunday- 
schools  in  the  Parish  was  deferred  until  the  beginning  of  1817. 
In  February  of  that  year  a  meeting  of  Churchmen  of  New  York 
was  held  to  consider  the  expediency  of  promoting  the  formation 
of  such  schools,  the  intention  being  to  have  them  under  the  con- 
trol of  an  eflficient  board  of  managers,  with  the  Bishop  as  Presi- 
dent. After  deliberation,  it  was  determined  to  form  'The  New 
York  Protestant  Episcopal  Sunday-school  Society.'  In  addition 
to  the  President  there  were  to  be  three  Vice-Presidents,  a  Secre- 


I.  An  Address  delivered  before  the  Auxiliary  New- York  Bible  and  Com- 
mon Prayer  Book  Society,  in  St.  Paul's  Chapel,  in  the  City  of  New- York,  on 
Tuesday,  the  28th  day  of  January,  A.  D.  1817,  by  Thomas  Y.  How,  D.D., 
Assistant  Rector  of  Trinity  Church,  New- York.  Published  by  the  Request 
of  the  Society.  New-York:  Printed  by  T.  and  J.  Swords,  No.  160  Pearl- 
Street.     1817. 


1817]  Annual  Meeting.  119 

tary,  a  Treasurer,  and  a  Board  of  Managers  consisting  of  clergy- 
men and  laymen.  Under  the  auspices  of  this  society,  and  with 
the  hearty  co-operation  of  the  Rector,  a  school  was  organized  in 
St.  John's  Chapel  late  in  February,  1817,  for  which  competent 
teachers  volunteered  their  services.  It  opened  with  an  attend- 
ance of  one  hundred  and  twenty  children  of  both  sexes,  who  had 
been  'collected  through  the  diligence  of  committees  appointed  for 
that  purpose,  in  the  short  space  of  three  days.'  This  school  grew 
so  rapidly  that  it  had  to  be  divided  into  departments.  The  enroll- 
ment in  the  male  department  in  July,  18 17,  was  two  hundred  and 
forty-one,  of  whom  twenty  were  blacks;  and  in  the  female  de- 
partment one  hundred  and  forty-four,  of  which  twenty-six  were 
blacks. 

"The  scholars  with  their  teachers  attended  divine  service  on 
Sunday.  For  their  accommodation,  with  the  approval  of  the 
Vestry,  the  Board  of  Directors  of  St.  John's  Sunday-school 
erected,  on  either  side  of  the  organ  loft,  stages  with  seats  rising 
in  tiers.  By  this  method  better  attention  could  be  paid  them  by 
their  teachers.  All  who  could  read  were  taught  to  find  the  places 
in  the  Prayer  Book  and  to  respond  audibly. 

"The  Sunday-school  of  St.  John's  was  then  the  largest  in  any 
Parish  of  the  Church  in  the  city."^ 

Among  the  papers  in  the  possession  of  the  writer  of  this  His- 
tory are  lists  of  books  selected  by  Bishop  Hobart  as  peculiarly 
suitable  for  gifts  to  Sunday  School  Scholars,  or  to  be  placed  in 
Sunday  School  libraries.  There  are  also  several  lists  of  books 
actually  given  as  "premiums"  at  Christmas.  One  of  the  shortest 
of  these  lists  is  reproduced  in  the  Appendix  as  interesting  not 
only  because  it  shews  the  kind  of  books  then  given  but  as  pre- 
serving the  names  of  scholars  from  families  who  are  still  proud 
of  their  connection  with  Trinity  Parish.^ 

At  the  Annual  Meeting,  February  25,  1817,  the  following  reso- 
lutions were  laid  before  the  meeting : 

"Resolved,  that  in  Article  I.  of  the  Constitution,  instead  of  the 
words  'Five  Dollars  at  the  time  of  subscribing,  and  five  dollars 
annually  afterwards'  be  inserted  the  words,  'to  the  funds  of  this 
Institution  a  sum  not  less  than  one  dollar  annually.'  And  instead 
of  the  words  'Fifty  Dollars  or  more  at  the  time  of  subscribing,' 

1.  Dix's  History  of  Trinity  Parish,  Volume  III.  p.  lo. 

2.  See  Appendix. 


120  Annual  Meeting.  [1817 

be  inserted  the  words  *A  sum  not  less  than  15  Dollars  at  one 
time.' " 

"Resolved,  That  in  Article  II.  of  the  Constitution,  instead  of 
the  words  'The  contributions  at  the  time  of  subscribing,'  be  sub- 
stituted the  words  'The  contributions  of  members  for  life.'  " 

"Resolved,  That  in  Article  V.of  the  Constitution,  instead  of  the 
words  'two  thirds  of  the  Board  of  Managers'  be  substituted  the 
words  'two  thirds  of  the  members  of  the  Board  of  Managers 
present  at  a  meeting  duly  convened.'  " 

"A  Constitutional  majority  of  this  meeting  acceding  to  the 
above  resolutions,  they  are,  agreeably  to  Article  V.  of  the  Consti- 
tution, laid  over  for  the  decision  of  the  Board  of  Managers,  and 
if  acceded  to  by  two  thirds  of  that  body,  will  become  valid  amend- 
ments to  the  Constitution  of  this  Society."     (Folio  65.) 

At  this  meeting  the  following  managers  were  elected :  Mat- 
thew Clarkson,  John  Onderdonk,  Gulian  Ludlow,  Henry  Rogers, 
George  Dominick,  William  Bayard,  John  Slidell,  Robert  Troup, 
Isaac  Carow,  Thomas  L.  Ogden.     (Folio  67.) 

February  26,  18 17.  On  motion,  Resolved,  "That  in  the  addi- 
tion made  at  the  last  meeting  of  the  Board,  to  the  rules  and  regu- 
lations of  this  Society,  the  clause  next  following  the  words  'as 
above  directed'  be  so  altered  as  to  read  'and  to  Auxiliary  or 
other  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Societies,  and  other  Insti- 
tutions embracing  the  distribution  of  the  Book  of  Common 
Prayer  within  their  objects,  and  the  same  terms.'  " 

The  following  resolution  was  also  laid  before  the  Board,  and 
unanimously  adopted,  viz : 

"Resolved,  That  the  Standing  Committee  be  authorized  to 
treat  with  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer 
Book  Society,  for  Prayer  Books  for  gratuitous  distribution,  from 
their  stereotype  plates  of  the  i6mo  size,  with  a  title  page  bearing 
the  name  of  this  Institution ;  and  to  make  an  agreement  with  said 
Society  on  this  subject,  if  they  think  proper;  and  if  they  rriake 
such  agreement,  to  procure  a  stereotype  page  of  the  above  de- 
scription, and  proceed  immediately  to  obtain  the  books  above 
mentioned,  to  the  value  of  $215,  lately  appropriated."  (Folio  69.) 

May  5,  18 1 7.  The  Secretary  from  the  Standing  Committee, 
reported  that  an  arrangement  had  been  made  with  the  Auxiliary 
New  York  Bible  and  Prayer  Book  Society,  for  obtaining  Prayer 
Books  from  their  stereotype  plates  of  the  i6mo  size,  with  a  title 


1817]  The  Rev.  Stephen  Jewett.  121 

page  bearing  the  name  of  this  Society ;  and  that  said  books  would 
soon  be  ready  for  distribution;  also,  that  Bibles  had  been  pro- 
vided to  the  value  of  the  sum  lately  appropriated,  of  stereotype 
print,  with  a  title  page  bearing  the  name  of  this  Society.    (Folio 

73-) 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Managers  held  on  February  4, 

1818,  the  sum  of  $412  was  appropriated,  one  half  for  the  pur- 
chase of  Bibles  and  the  other  half  for  Prayer  Books. 

The  President  from  the  Standing  Committee  reported  that  the 
two  stereotype  plates  of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  which  that 
committee  was  authorized  to  obtain,  were  ready  for  use. 

On  February  25,  18 18,  the  Secretary  laid  before  the  Board  a 
copy  of  the  "Second  Annual  Report  of  the  Managers  of  the  Aux- 
iliary New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society," 
transmitted  to  this  society  agreeably  to  the  constitution  of  the 
said  Auxiliary  society.  Ordered,  that  the  reception  of  it  be  en- 
tered on  the  minutes,  and  that  the  report  be  preserved  among  the 
papers  of  the  society. 

The  Secretary,  from  the  Standing  Committee,  read  a  report 
which  that  committee  proposed  to  be  adopted  as  the  Report  to  be 
made  by  this  Board  at  the  approaching  meeting  of  the  society. 

On  motion  Resolved,  unanimously  that,  with  the  consent  of  the 
requisite  number  or  numbers  present  at  the  approaching  meeting 
of  the  society,  in  the  third  article  of  the  constitution,  instead  of 
"The  day  after  the  annual  meeting"  be  substituted  "the  Friday 
next  after  the  ^annual  meeting."     (Folio  yy,) 

"Resolved,  that  in  order  more  effectually  to  provide  for  defray- 
ing the  expense  incurred  by  the  recent  procuring  of  two  stereo- 
type plates  of  the  Prayer  Book,  the  Rectors  of  the  several  par- 
ishes in  the  City  be  requested  to  allow  (if  they  deem  it  expedient 
and  proper)  the  annual  sermon  and  collection  in  behalf  of  this 
society,  for  the  present  year,  to  take  place  in  their  churches  at 
such  a  time  in  each,  as  the  Rector  of  the  same  may  think  most 
suitable. 

The  Rev.  Stephen  Jewett,  a  man  of  singular  and  manifold 
gifts,  who  was  made  deacon  in  1810  by  Bishop  Jarvis,  of  Con- 
necticut, and  ordained  priest  by  Bishop  Hobart  in  18 13,  com- 
menced his  ministry  in  an  extensive  region  including  Washing- 
ton County  and  all  the  territory  to  the  north  of  it.  He  founded, 
in  181 1,  Christ  Church,  Hampton,  and  extended  his  labours  over 


122  Dutchess  County  Society.  [1817 

the  line  into  the  State  of  Vermont  and  established  the  Church  in 
the  town  of  Paulet.    Of  him  it  was  said : 

"In  the  then  scarcity  of  Episcopal  clergymen  he  was  a  mission- 
ary for  all  the  region  from  Fort  Edward  on  the  south  to  Platts- 
burgh  on  the  north.  I  have  heard  him  say  that  a  child  had  been 
brought  to  him  the  distance  of  one  hundred  miles  to  be  baptized, 
and  that  he  had  himself  gone  forty  to  attend  a  funeral."^ 

In  his  extensive  field  he  had  learned  the  value  of  the  Book  of 
Common  Prayer  as  a  Missionary  agent.  This  zealous  worker 
on  the  borders  of  the  State  and  diocese  determined  that  the  mem- 
bers of  his  flock  should  do  their  part  in  providing  for  needs  of 
others.  Associating  with  himself  the  Rev.  Charles  W.  Hamilton, 
his  nearest  clerical  neighbour,  resident  of  Sandy  Hill,  they  or- 
ganized in  September,  1817,  "the  Bible  and  Common  Prayer 
Book  Society  for  the  Counties  of  Washington  and  Essex  and 
parts  adjacent."  The  Bishop  of  the  Diocese,  Dr.  Hobart,  was 
elected  President,  the  Rev.  Stephen  Jewett,  First  Vice  President, 
Dr.  Zina  Hitchcock,  Second  A'ice  President,  the  Rev.  Charles  W. 
Hamilton,  Third  Vice  President,  Mr.  Wadsworth  Bull,  Treas- 
urer, Mr.  Martin  Lee,  Recording  Secretary,  and  the  Hon.  Henry 
C.  Martingale,  Corresponding  Secretary. 

Its  work  at  once  told  upon  the  whole  region. 

The  wide  scope  of  usefulness  for  such  a  Society  is  shown  in 
the  plans  and  aims  of  the  Dutchess  County  Auxiliary  Bible  and 
Prayer  Book  Society,  of  which  the  distinguished  Dr.  Samuel 
Bard  was  President,  as  given  in  its  report  for  1817: 

"The  first  object  of  the  Society  is  to  supply  as  far  as  practi- 
cable every  person  within  the  County,  who  cannot  conveniently 
supply  himself,  with  at  least  a  copy  of  the  Scriptures,  and  all  such 
as  shall  wish  it,  with  a  copy  of  the  Common  Prayer.  This 
although  a  local  is  by  no  means  a  limited  object.  When  it  is 
considered  how  great  the  population  of  this  County  is,  how  im- 
portant it  is  that  every  individual  should  have  a  Bible  of  his  own, 
and  how  many  families  there  are  who  can  ill  afford  to  purchase 
one  copy  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  much  less  one  for  each  of  their 
members,  the  object  is  magnified  in  our  view,  and  shows  us  that 


I.  The  extract  is  from  Dr.  Beardsley's  sermon,  "The  Tabernacle  Dis- 
solved," preached  in  St.  Thomas'  Church,  New  Haven,  Conn.,  on  September 
1,  1861,  commemorative  of  the  Rev.  Stephen  Jewett.  It  will  be  found  on  p. 
134  of  "Addresses  and  Discourses,  Historical  and  Religious."  By  E.  Edwards 
Beardsley,  D.D. 


1817]  Annual  Meeting.  123 

what  has  been  already  done,  is  but  a  beginning  of  the  good  work; 
and  that  to  complete  the  benevolent  design  will  require  the  indus- 
try, the  liberality,  and  united  exertions  of  all  the  members  of  the 
Society.  In  our  undertaking  we  are  secure  of  at  least  the  good 
wishes  of  all  men.  For  no  one  who  has  the  honour  of  religion 
and  the  greatest  good  of  man  in  view  can  forbear  saying  to  a 
t)ody  of  men  who  have  associated  for  the  gratuitous  distribution 
of  the  uncommented  Scriptures,  *God  speed'  ".^ 

It  was  under  the  cheering  effect  of  such  encouraging  tokens  of 
the  interest  taken  in  the  great  cause  they  had  at  heart  that  the 
Board  of  Managers  of  the  parent  Society  met  to  arrange  for  the 
annual  meeting,  which  took  place  March  3,  1818. 

The  following  Managers  were  elected :  Matthew  Clarkson, 
John  Onderdonk,  John  Slidell,  Henry  Rogers,  George  Dominick, 
William  Bayard,  Gulian  Ludlow,  Isaac  Carow,  Thomas  L.  Og- 
den,  Richard  Whiley.     (Folio  79.) 

On  March  6,  1818  the  following  resolutions  were  passed: 

"Resolved,  that  the  report  read  at  the  last  meeting  of  the  society, 
and  referred  by  that  meeting  to  this  board  to  be  disposed  of  at 
its  discretion,  be  published,  in  such  way  as  the  standing  commit- 
tee may  direct. 

"Resolved,  that  the  Treasurer  be  authorized  to  appropriate  the 
sums  that  may  be  collected  at  the  preaching  of  the  annual  sermon 
in  behalf  of  this  society  for  the  present  year,  to  defraying  the 
expense  incurred  by  the  recent  procuring  of  the  stereotype  plates 
of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer. 

"Resolved,  that  the  standing  committee  be,  and  they  hereby  are 
authorized,  to  have  immediately  printed  such  a  number  of  the 
Prayer  Books  from  the  stereotype  plates  as  they  may  deem 
proper  &  to  enter  in  the  name  of  this  board,  into  a  contract  with 
Messieurs  T.  &  J.  Swords  for  their  use  of  the  plates  belonging  to 
this  society." 

The  Managers  using  the  discretion  giv^en  to  them  printed  the 
report  in  The  Christian  Journal.  It  is  a  document  full  of  inform- 
ation and  shows  that  Eastern  Churchmen  were  not,  as  has  often 
been  said,  indifferent  to  the  interests  of  laymen  like  Mr.  Green 
and  Mr.  Griswold,  and  priests  like  Roger  Searle  and  Philander 
Chase,  to  plant  the  Church  in  the  Western  Country. 

I.  The  Christian  Journal,  Friday,  October  31,  1817.  Volume  I.,  No.  ao. 
P-  319- 


124  Eighth  Annual  Report.  [1818 

Eighth  Annual  Report  of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  The 
New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society. 

To  preserve  and  disseminate  a  knowledge  of  the  true  God  and 
of  Jesus  Christ  whom  he  hath  sent — to  procure  to  the  world  the 
inestimable  benefits  flowing  from  the  pure  system  of  Gospel 
morals — to  bring  men  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  through  the 
sanctifying  influences  of  the  Holy  Ghost — to  walk  religiously  in 
good  works  during  their  earthly  pilgrimage — and  finally  to  ad- 
vance them  to  the  eternal  inheritance  purchased  by  the  sacrifice 
of  the  Lamb  of  God : — these  are  the  objects  for  which  Scripture 
declares  the  Church  of  God  was  established  upon  earth.  Ad- 
mitted into  that  Church  by  baptism  men  are  received  into  cove- 
nant with  God  through  Christ.  In  the  various  ordinances  duly 
administered,  they  have  means  of  attaining  unto  the  conditions 
of  the  Covenant  and  receiving  through  the  promised  blessing  of 
Heaven,  those  aids  of  divine  Grace  by  which  the  conditions  can 
be  performed,  and  the  everlasting  blessing  that  is  covenanted,  be 
received.  This  is  the  gracious  plan,  simple,  indeed,  in  appear- 
ance but  full  of  wisdom  and  mercy,  whereby  God  hath  revealed 
his  purpose  "to  deliver  from  curse  and  damnation  those  whom 
he  hath  chosen  in  Christ  out  of  mankind,  and  to  bring  them  by 
Christ  to  everlasting  salvation,  as  vessels  made  to  honour." 

Bearing  this  in  mind  we  perceive  the  consistency  and  propriety 
of  making  the  command  to  baptize  co-extensive  with  that  to 
spread  the  Gospel ;  and  of  the  care  which  the  Acts  of  the  Apos- 
tles and  their  several  Epistles  evince  that  they  took  thoroughly  to 
organize  the  Church  as  inseparable  from  the  fulfilment  of  their 
great  commission  to  disseminate  the  religion  of  their  Master,  and 
from  securing  the  benefits  thereby  designed. 

In  the  purpose  of  Providence,  thus  clearly  evinced,  we  see 
marked  out  the  plan  to  which  the  members  of  the  Christian 
Church  in  all  ages  should  adhere,  in  their  efforts  to  promote  the 
diffusion  of  religious  truth  and  practice. 

The  Church  as  a  visible  society,  should  ever  be  recognized; 
her  enlargement  and  due  organization  should  be  sought,  as  one 
with  the  promotion  of  the  religion  of  the  Gospel :  thus  shown  to 
be  God's  chosen  instrument  in  furthering  the  spiritual  and  eternal 
interests  of  men,  she  should  be  strengthened  by  her  members  in 
this  great  work,  and  her  honour  sought  in  its  promotion. 

It  was  this  evangelical  principle  that  gave  birth  to  the  Society 


1818]  Eighth  Annual  Report.  125 

on  whose  concerns  we  are  now  called  to  report.  Humbly  and 
gratefully  cherishing  the  belief  that  they  were  attached  to  a  com- 
munion possessing  a  ministry  proceeding  in  an  unbroken  line 
from  that  set  apart  by  our  Lord  in  person ;  and  in  doctrine,  disci- 
pline and  worship  approaching  nearer  than  any  in  its  day  to  those 
which  were  hallowed  by  Apostolic  usage;  her  first  members 
thought  it  their  duty  to  stand  forth  in  the  name  of  their  Church, 
in  the  cause  of  God  and  by  their  efforts  make  her  an  humble 
instrument  of  promoting  his  glory,  and  the  spiritual  and  eternal 
interests  of  men. 

To  further  this  pious  design,  they  organized  the  Society  now 
assembled,  in  the  early  part  of  the  year  1809,  having  for  its 
object  the  distribution  of  the  Bible  and  the  Book  of  Common 
Prayer.  The  former  their  Church  had  taught  them  to  regard 
as  the  only  and  sufficient  source  of  religious  and  moral  instruc- 
tion,— of  sanctifying  and  saving  faith — of  cheering  and  consol- 
ing hope — of  righteousness  unto  life  eternal.  By  her  large  and 
characteristic  use  of  it  in  her  daily  and  occasional  services,  she 
had  taught  them  to  consider  its  general  dissemination  as  the  only 
effectual  means  of  extending  the  influence  of  pure  religion  and 
morality.  In  no  way,  then,  could  they  regard  their  Church  more 
legitimately  occupied,  or  acting  in  greater  consistency  with  her 
principles  and  practice,  than  in  the  distribution  of  this  sacred  vol- 
ume. They  were  glad  to  aid  her,  and  were  happy  to  advance 
her  honour  in  so  good  and  great  a  work. 

Their  second  object  was  the  distribution  of  the  Book  of  Com- 
mon Prayer.  They  naturally  concluded  that  when  the  serious 
perusal  of  the  word  of  God  had  been  blessed  with  the  happy  effect 
of  rousing  the  careless  to  a  sense  of  their  danger,  and  exciting 
them  to  ask  "What  shall  we  do  to  be  saved  ?"  Then  to  put  into 
their  hands  this  book  which  they  regarded  as  familiarly  and 
affectingly  explaining  and  enforcing  the  truth  of  the  Gospel;  as 
providing  them  with  the  best  prayers  for  pardon,  for  thorough 
conversion,  for  divine  illumination  and  guidance;  as  instructing 
them  in  the  primitive  doctrine  and  organization  of  that  Church, 
in  union  with  which,  and  in  the  devout  participation  of  whose 
ordinances,  their  Bible  taught  them,  are  to  be  found  the  blessing 
of  God's  covenant  with  man,  as  immediately  preparing  the  way 
for  the  purist,  most  affecting  and  most  edifying  ministrations  of 
the  Ambassadors  of  Heaven :  they  naturally  concluded  that  then 


126  Eighth  Annual  Report.  [18ia 

to  second  the  encouraging  impression  made  by  the  inspired  vol- 
ume, by  the  gift  of  this  next  best  book,  would  be  using  the  mean, 
most  promising  success,  of  bringing  to  perfection  the  work  of 
grace  upon  their  hearts. 

In  the  anticipation  of  the  continued  existence  and  operations  of 
the  Society,  they  chose  to  establish  a  permanent  fund  the  interest 
of  which  should  be  disposable,  and  thus  lay  the  foundation  of 
permanent  and  much  greater  ultimate  usefulness,  rather  than  ta 
enlarge  their  immediate  operations  by  the  disbursement  of  what 
was  early  collected  by  the  liberality  of  their  fellow  members  of 
the  Church.  The  good  effect  of  this  provision  is  shown  in  the 
fact  appearing  in  the  subjoined  report  of  the  Treasurer  that  we 
have  a  permanent  fund  of  $4,509.85.  Notwithstanding  the  tem- 
porary check  which  the  establishment  and  maintenance  of  this 
fund  has  necessarily  given  to  the  active  operations  of  the  Society, 
they  have  been  enabled  to  expend  upwards  of  $3,000  in  the  pur- 
chase of  Bibles  and  Prayer  Books. 

Including  a  donation  of  500  Bibles  and  500  New  Testaments 
from  the  extensive  and  characteristic  benevolence  of  the  British 
and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  the  number  of  volumes  gratuitously 
distributed  by  this  Institution  since  its  establishment,  is  2,24a 
English  and  100  French  Bibles,  600  New  Testaments,  and  3,331 
Common  Prayer  Books.  Grand  total  6,171.  Of  these  350  Bibles 
and  565  Prayer  Books  have  been  distributed  in  the  course  of  the 
past  year. 

By  the  divine  blessing  upon  the  operations  we  may  humbly 
hope  that  good  has  been,  and  still  will  be  effected,  in  the  dissemi- 
nation of  religious  knowledge,  in  the  increase  of  practical  piety, 
in  the  enlarging  of  the  borders  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  in  the 
improvement  or  preservation  of  her  members  in  evangelical  doc- 
trine and  holiness.  We  are  cheered,  indeed,  by  the  certain  knowl- 
edge, that  in  a  degree,  our  exertions  have  been  thus  blessed. 

By  an  arrangement  of  the  Board  for  that  purpose,  the  Bibles 
and  Prayer  Books  distributed  within  the  past  year,  bear  the  name 
of  this  Society  on  their  title  pages.  The  same  will  hereafter  be 
uniformly  the  case. 

A  difficulty  has  been  found  to  arise  from  the  smallness  of  the 
type  in  the  Prayer  Books  generally  distributed;  rendering  them- 
in  a  gjeat  measure  useless  to  those  whose  eyes  are  affected  by 
disease  or  the  natural  infirmity  of  age.     We  hope  this  difficulty 


1818]  Eighth  Annual  Report.  127 

will  soon  be  obviated  by  the  use  of  the  stereotype  plates  of  the 
8vo  size,  the  determination  of  the  Board  to  procure  which  was 
last  year  reported.  We  have  anticipated  an  increase  of  patronage 
by  obtaining  them  and  hope  that  the  friends  of  the  Church  will 
manifest  their  approbation  of  a  measure  which  we  deemed  of 
essential  importance,  by  favourably  answering  the  application, 
which  it  will  be  necessary  to  make,  for  contributions  to  meet  the 
expense  thereby  incurred. 

A  plan  has  been  adopted  for  the  distribution  of  the  Svo  Prayer 
Book,  which  appeared  to  the  Board  to  possess  advantages  over 
that  of  the  ordinary  gratuitous  circulation.  It  is  given  to  mem- 
bers of  this  Society,  to  Auxiliary  Societies,  and  to  all  institutions 
which  embrace  the  distribution  of  the  Prayer  Book  within  their 
objects,  at  the  rate  of  one  copy  per  annum,  for  every  dollar  annu- 
ally contributed;  leaving  the  contributor  the  choice  of  a  Bible 
instead  of  the  Prayer  Book.  Thus  while  the  Prayer  Book  is 
given  at  a  cheap  rate  to  all  similar  institutions  the  members  of 
the  Society  will  be  furnished  with  it  for  their  use  or  distribution. 
The  small  sized  Prayer  Book  will  continue  to  be  gratuitously  dis- 
tributed as  usual. 

What  this  Society  has  been  enabled  through  the  Divine  bless- 
ing to  effect,  has  brought  to  our  knowledge  the  immense  field  of 
usefulness  yet  unoccupied.  From  every  quarter  we  are  continu- 
ally importuned  for  the  Word  of  Life  and  the  invaluable  Liturgy 
of  our  Church.  Will  her  friends  endure  to  hear  that  we  are  fre- 
quently obliged  to  be  importuned  in  vain?  Will  they  suffer  it  to 
remain  an  unhappy  fact,  that  even  this  Diocese  (to  which  the 
labours  of  this  Institution  have  been  confined)  is  suffering  for 
want  of  aid  which  it  is  not  in  our  power  to  extend  ?  Will  they  be 
indifferent  to  the  circumstance  that  an  increase  of  patronage  will 
enable  us  to  be  powerfully  instrumental  in  planting  and  nourish- 
ing our  Church  in  every  newly  settled  town  and  village  in  this 
State?  The  Liturgy  compared  with  the  Bible  will  speak  for  it- 
self— will  subdue  prejudices — will  excite  pious  attachment — will 
prepare  the  way,  and  powerfully  second  the  faithful  services  of 
the  missionary  or  settled  pastor. 

Reflection  on  the  immense  field  which  yet  exists  for  the  opera- 
tion of  this  and  similar  institutions,  and  on  the  great  interests 
which  are  at  stake,  gives  us  much  pleasure  in  reporting  the  addi- 
tion to  the  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Societies  in  this  Die- 


128  Eighth  Annual  Report.  [1818 

cese  of  that  for  the  Counties  of  Washington  and  Essex  and  parts 
adjacent  estabhshed  within  the  past  year.  We  are  also  happy 
again  to  notice  the  Auxiliary  Society  of  this  City.  It  continues 
not  merely  to  exist  itself  but  to  increase  its  exertions.  It  has 
reduced  the  wholesale  price  of  the  Prayer  Book  originally  dis- 
tributed, to  the  low  sum  of  $30  per  100.  The  recent  report  of 
the  Board  of  Managers,  forwarded  by  them  to  this  Board,  states 
that  623  Bibles  and  5,239  Prayer  Books  have  been  issued  from 
their  depository  during  the  past  year.  Of  the  latter  a  large  pro- 
portion were  sold  at  the  reduced  price. 

It  is  further,  a  source  of  pleasure  to  record,  among  our  most 
zealous  coadjutors,  the  Congregation  of  St.  John's  Church,  Can- 
andaigua,  Ontario  County.  From  funds  raised  among  them- 
selves (it  is  believed  the  balance  of  their  communion  collections, 
after  the  necessary  appropriations  for  the  relief  of  the  poor), 
they  have,  within  a  few  months,  distributed  30  Bibles,  200 
Prayer  Books,  and  2,700  religious  tracts :  and  all  this,  immedi- 
ately after  erecting,  solely  at  their  own  cost,  one  of  the  handsom- 
est Churches  in  the  diocese :  and  connected  with  very  liberal  con- 
tributions for  meeting  parochial  expenses.  The  thanks  of  this 
Society  and  the  Church  at  large,  and  the  approbation  of  all  good ' 
men  are  due  to  them.  Their  example  is  worthy  of  imitation,  and 
it  is  sincerely  to  be  hoped  will  provoke  it. 

The  institution  of  "The  Protestant  Episcopal  Missionary  So- 
ciety of  Troy,  Lansingburgh,  and  Waterford,"  and  of  "The 
Ladies'  Association  of  the  City  of  Troy  for  the  assistance  of 
students  who  intend  to  take  Orders  in  the  Episcopal  Church," 
has  given  further  and  pleasing  evidence  of  well  directed  zeal  for 
the  great  and  good  cause  in  this  diocese. 

In  sister  states,  also,  the  members  of  our  Church  have  mani- 
fested their  regard  for  her,  by  exertions  having  for  their  object 
her  efficiency  in  the  promotion  of  Christian  knowledge  and  piety. 
We  are  confident  you  will  hear  with  pleasure  of  the  establishment 
of  a  Bible  and  Prayer  Book  Society  in  the  town  of  Worthington 
(Ohio)  and  its  vicinity.  Your  Board  (in  answer  to  a  communi- 
cation from  them)  have  expressed  to  the  Managers  of  that  So- 
ciety the  pleasure  its  institution  affords  them;  and  their  wishes 
and  prayers  for  its  success  in  the  all  important  work  of  promot- 
ing the  pure  and  primitive  religion  of  the  Gospel  in  that  interest- 
ing section  of  our  Country.     This  we  have  done.     Our  hearts' 


1818]  Eighth  Annual  Report.  129 

desire  was  to  do  more,  to  send  them  that  aid  in  the  prosecution  of 
their  pious  objects  for  which  they  naturally  look  to  this  favoured 
portion  of  the  Church.  But  with  ability  greatly  unequal  even  to 
the  supply  of  wants  at  home,  we  were  denied  the  rich  satisfaction 
of  lending  a  helping  hand,  in  their  efforts  to  these  distant 
brethren. 

Information  has  also  been  received  of  the  existence  of  the  fol- 
lowing Societies  formed  for  pious  purposes,  by  members  of  our 
Church;  all  of  them  it  is  believed  instituted  within  the  past  year: 
"Prayer  Book  and  Tract  Association  of  the  Eastern  Diocese," 
"St.  Peter's  (Salem)"  and  "Merrimack"  Branches  of  the  above; 
"Massachusetts  Episcopal  Missionary  Society,"  "Massachusetts 
Episcopal  Prayer  Book  and  Tract  Society,"  "Protestant  Episco- 
pal Society  of  New  Milford,  Connecticut,"  "The  Female  Episco- 
pal Society  of  Shrewsbury  and  Middletown  for  promoting  Chris- 
tian Knowledge  and  Piety,  auxiliary  to  the  Episcopal  Society  of 
New  Jersey,"  "The  Paterson  Church  Missionary  Society,  in  aid 
of  the  Missionary  Fund  of  the  Church  in  New  Jersey,"  "The 
Episcopal  Female  Tract  Society  of  Philadelphia,"  "The  Mission- 
ary Society  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  of  North  Carcn 
lina." 

We  are  confident  that  our  fellow-members  will  rejoice  with 
us  in  the  success  of  every  effort  for  diffusing  the  religion  of  the 
Gospel;  and  unite  with  us  in  admiration  and  gratitude  for  the 
zeal  in  this  great  work  which  characterizes  the  present  age,  and 
is  shared  by  all  who  profess  the  name  of  Christian.  At  the  same 
time,  a  conscientious  regard  for  the  evangelical  sentiment,  that 
the  Church  should  be  recognized  in  these  efforts,  and  that  she 
should  be  strengthened  in  them,  as  the  instrument  designed  by 
Providence  ultimately  to  effect  the  victory  of  the  Gospel,  and 
establish  its  universal  reign,  excites  in  us  peculiar  interest  for 
those  associations  of  her  members  which  recognize  this  funda- 
mental principle.  As  of  this  character,  and  established  with 
views  for  which  every  pious  heart  must  rejoice,  we  notice,  lastly, 
the  Protestant  Episcopal  Sunday  School  Society.  Under  the 
general  superintendence  of  the  Bishop  of  the  Diocese,  and  a 
Board  of  Clergy  and  Lay  Managers,  and  with  each  School  under 
the  particular  charge  of  the  minister  of  the  Congregation  to 
which  it  is  attached,  and  of  Directors  chosen  from  the  same;  it 
exhibits  the  delightful  spectacle  of  the  Church  taking  the  Chil- 
(9) 


130  Sermon  by  Mr.  Lyell.  [18ia 

dren  of  poverty  from  idleness,  vice  and  misery,  and  bringing^ 
diem  to  Christ  for  his  blessing  in  time,  and  through  eternity. 

These  institutions,  and  many  others  of  earlier  date,  afford  en- 
couraging evidence  of  piety  and  zeal  on  the  part  of  the  members 
of  our  Church.  They  cannot  adopt  a  method  for  the  promotion 
of  the  objects  they  have  in  view,  more  proper  or  more  useful 
than  by  thus  strengthening  her  hands  for  the  promotion  of  the 
interests  of  religion.  Can  this  be  better  effected  than  through 
such  an  agent?  "All  glorious  within,"  and  with  "clothing  of 
wrought  gold,"  justifying  the  pretensions  to  identify  with  the 
spouse  of  Christ,  bearing  in  her  right  hand  the  blessed  volume  of 
inspiration,  and  in  her  left  a  system  of  doctrine  and  practice 
drawn  from  that  volume,  preserved  from  earliest  times,  and 
sealed  by  the  blood  of  martyrs ;  she  would  call  men  from  the  ser- 
vice of  sin  and  offer  them  guidance  in  paths  of  holiness  and 
virtue;  she  would  reinstate  them  in  that  unity  of  spirit  and  bond 
of  peace,  which  were  once  the  characteristics  of  the  disciples  of 
the  Lamb.  Receiving  them  into  covenant  with  God,  exhorting- 
them  to  a  true  and  living  faith,  dispensing  to  them  appointed 
means  for  the  conveyance  of  the  strengthening  and  sanctifying- 
influences  of  the  Holy  Ghost  the  Comforter;  she  would  minister 
to  their  purest  happiness,  their  consolation  in  every  trial,  their 
victory  "over  every  assault  of  the  Spiritual  enemy,  their  support 
and  hope  in  the  awful  hour  of  dissolution,  and  their  everlasting^ 
joy  in  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light. 
By  order  of  the  Board, 

Benj.  T.  Onderdonk,  Secretary. 

New  York,  Feb.  25th,  1818.' 

The  sad  and  startling  episode  of  the  moral  lapse  of  Dr.  How^ 
assistant  Rector  of  Trinity  Church,  whose  brilliant  gifts  it  was 
thought  would  long  adorn  and  edify  the  Church,  made  necessary 
a  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Managers,  which  was  held  on  May  25, 
1 818,  when  the  Rev.  Mr.  Lyell  was  appointed  a  member  of  the 
Society  committee  in  the  place  of  Dr.  How.  A  vote  of  thanks 
was  tendered  to  Mr.  Lyell  for  his  recent  sermon  on  behalf  of  the 
Society. 

The  sermon  so  commended  had  been  prepared  with  a  great 

I.    The  Christian  Journal,  No.  1,  for  March,  1818.     Volume  II.,  No.  5.. 
pp.  76-80. 


1818]  Sormon  by  Mr.  LyeU.  JM 

deal  of  care  by  Mr.  Lyell.  After  the  delivery  throughovit  thf 
City  and  neighbouring  Parishes  with  the  most  gratifying  success 
in  arousing  interest,  it  was  published  and  circulated  widely.  I|t 
is  still  worthy  of  perusal,  as  this  extract  shows : 

Men  of  Israel,  help. — Acts  xxi.  28. 

Help!  To  do  what?  That  which  the  Asiatic  Jews,  in  their 
rage,  wished  to  have  done?  To  thrust  from  the  temple,  and 
fcanish  from  among  us,  an  apostolic  ministry?  To  support  a 
linking  system  of  ecclesiastical  polity — a  Church,  the  glory  of 
which  has  departed,  and  the  term  of  whose  very  existence  has 
reached  its  utmost  limit  ?  No,  my  Brethren,  you  are  called  upon 
to  diffuse  that  Gospel,  and  cherish  those  institutions,  in  defence 
and  support  of  which  the  zealous  Apostle  laboured  long,  suffered 
much,  and  died  a  martyr;  to  promote  the  interest  of  a  Church 
destined  in  the  counsels  of  heaven,  having  been  coextensive  in 
her  existence  with  the  duration  of  time,  to  be  the  glory  of  all 
lands,  to  shed  lustre  over  the  nations  of  the  world,  to  receive 
within  her  pale  the  heathen  as  her  inheritance,  and  the  uttermost 
part  of  the  earth  for  her  possession. 

You  are  called  upon  to  aid  her  to  send  out  the  light  and  truth 
of  the  Gospel,  and  to  lead  hundreds  and  thousands  to  offer,  on 
her  consecrated  altars,  a  **freewill-offering  with  a  holy  worship." 
Men  of  Israel,  help.  This  is  the  business  to  which,  with  warm 
hearts,  and  liberal  dispositions  (if  the  most  laudable  of  all  chari- 
ties can  warm  the  heart,  and  make  liberal  the  disposition),  we 
are  called  at  this  time. 

I  am  requested  to  make  the  annual  appeal  to  your  sense  of 
duty  and  sentiments  of  liberality,  in  behalf  of  the  Society  for  the 
distribution  of  the  Bible,  a  book  "containing  all  things  necessary 
to  salvation,"  and  consequently  dear  to  Christians  of  every  de- 
nomination: and  also  for  the  distribution  of  the  Book  of  Com- 
mon Prayer,  the  closet,  the  family,  the  sanctuary  companion  and 
directory  of  all  Churchmen ;  that  it  may  be  enabled  to  continue 
and  extend  its  work  of  faith  and  labour  of  love.    *        *      *      * 

Not  help  to  circulate  the  Bible?  O  that  we  could  give  it  the 
wings  of  the  morning!  The  Bible!  To  what  else  shall  we  as.- 
cribe  it,  that  we  are  not  at  this  day  involved  in  the  darkness  and 
ignorance  of  former  ages  ?  To  what  institution — to  what  system 
of  instruction,  of  all  those  which  the  benevolence  and  wisdom, 


132  Auxiliary's  Second  Report.  [1818 


the  piety  and  charity  of  the  age  have  devised  and  put  into  opera- 
tion ?  And  no  age  ever  devised  more  for  the  improvement  of  the 
mind,  or  the  meHoration  of  the  circumstances  of  man.  From 
among  them  all  select  the  most  excellent;  that  around  which 
wisdom  throws  her  brightest  beams,  and  in  the  operation  of 
which,  benevolence  and  charity  exercise  and  gratify  their  most 
ardent  and  expansive  wishes — take  that  one — nay,  take  them  all 
together,  and  what  are  they  without  the  Bible?  Your  Charity 
Schools,  both  parochial  and  public ;  your  Sunday  Schools,  though 
last  not  least  in  worth  and  excellence,  whether  we  consider  the 
tenderness  of  their  care  or  the  wisdom  of  their  plans,  what  are 
they,  valuable  as  they  are,  but  the  voice  of  one  crying  in  the  wil- 
derness— but  the  means  and  instruments  to  prepare  the  way  of 
the  Lord  for  religious  instruction?  Deprived  of  the  Bible,  of  its 
co-operation  and  impulse,  they  are  impotent  as  a  machine  de- 
prived of  its  spring;  their  force  would  soon  cease  to  reach  the 
mass  of  the  people.  Take  the  Bible  away,  and  you  strike  from 
those  systems  of  wisdom,  instruction,  and  benevolence,  the  sun 
to  whose  radiance  and  warmth  they  owe  their  splendour  and  their 
worth;  the  natural  darkness  and  corruption  of  the  human  heart 
would  soon  prevail  ag'ainst  them,  and  those  clouds  of  superstition 
and  barbarism  which  enveloped  former  ages,  would  speedily 
return,  thick  and  dark,  and  settle  on  the  most  enlightened  nations 
of  Christendom. 

"Men  of  Israel,"  shall  we  help  this  Society  to  distribute  the 
Bible  ?^ 

So  intimate  was  the  relation  between  the  parent  Society  and 
the  New  York  Auxiliary  that  its  work  was  practically  comple- 
mentary to  that  of  the  older  Society. 

It  is  then  a  necessary  part  of  the  narrative  to  insert  here  an 
account  of  the  annual  meeting,  and  a  portion  of  the 

Second  Annual  Report. 

As    all    institutions     for   the    diffusion    of   Christianity     are 


I.  A  Sermon  delivered  in  several  Churches  and  Chapels  of  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church  in  the  City  of  New-York,  for  the  Benefit  of  the  New- 
York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society.  By  The  Rev.  Thomas 
Lyell,  A.M.,  Rector  of  Christ  Church,  New- York. 


1818]  Auxiliary's  Second  Report.  133 

founded  in  charity,  it  has  been  deemed  proper  in  the  formation  of 
this  Society,  that  this  heavenly  virtue  sliould  not  be  Hmited  to  the 
distribution  of  the  Bible  only  but  also  that  by  distributing  the 
Book  of  Common  Prayer  to  extend  to  others  the  same  Gospel 
privileges  we  ourselves  enjoy.  The  great  object  in  separating 
from  the  Church  of  Rome,  was  not  only  that  the  Scriptures 
should  be  read  and  widely  disseminated,  but  also  that  The  Church 
should  be  restored  to  its  primitive  purity.  Should  we  not  then 
as  Protestant  Episcopalians  throw  away  the  precious  fruits  of 
the  reformation,  did  we  not  stand  with  the  Bible  in  one  hand, 
and  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  in  the  other.  The  Liturgy  was 
drawn  from  the  Scriptures  by  those  great  men,  who  were  chief 
promoters,  and  finally  martyrs  in  the  cause,  of  the  reformation, 
and  by  the  identity  of  its  principles,  it  is  capable  of  being  resolved 
into  the  Scriptures  again.  As  the  view  in  distributing  the  Bible, 
is  to  point  out  the  way  of  peace  and  of  eternal  life,  and  to  bring 
men  to  the  knowledge  and  love  of  God,  and  of  his  Son  Jesus 
Christ;  so  the  great  object  in  distributing  the  Book  of  Common 
Prayer,  is  to  point  out  that  ark  of  our  salvation,  that  spiritual 
Building  instituted  by  Christ,  into  which  he  has  commanded  all 
men  to  enter — into  which  the  Scriptures  are  designed  to  lead  all 
who  read  and  believe  them,  and  whose  rule  of  faith  and  practice 
they  are. 

The  more  fully  to  accompli^  the  pious  purposes  of  this 
Society,  the  Legislature  of  the  state,  at  its  last  session,  passed  an 
act  of  Incorporation,  and  also  provided  a  mode  by  which  institu- 
tions, having  the  same  laudable  purposes,  can  partake  of  the 
same  benefits  and  privileges.^ 

In  the  late  establishment  of  Sunday  Schools  in  this  city,  the 
Board  rejoice  that  the  field  of  their  labour  has  been  enlarged, 
and  they  anticipate  with  pleasure,  the  time  when  these  Schools 
shall  be  formed  in  every  part  of  the  Union,  and  by  instilling  into 
the  tender  mind,  principles  of  piety,  become  efficient  pioneers  for 
the  extensive  dissemination  of  religious  knowledge.  We  are 
confident,  that  to  rescue  the  young  from  ignorance  and  vice,  to 
make  them  useful  members  of  society,  to  promote  their  interest 
in  this  life  and  that  which  is  to  come,  present  such  strong  mo- 
tives for  the  general  establishment  of  Sunday  Schools,  that  they 

I.    The  Act  of  Incorporation  and  revised  Constitution  and  By-Laws  will  be 
found  in  the  Appendix. 


iM  Auliliary'g  Second  Report.  [1818 

cannot  be  disfeg-arded ;  and  we'  are  inspired  with  the  hope,  that 
this  beneficial  system  will,  at  no  distant  day,  shed  its  blessings 
upon  every  city  and  village  of  our  country. 

During  the  last  year,  your  Board  of  Managers  have  gratuit- 
ously distributed  623  Bibles ;  and  the  number  of  Common  Prayer 
Books  issued  from  our  repository,  during  the  same  period,  is 
5,239.  The  annexed  account  of  the  Treasurer,  exhibits  the  num- 
ber df  Prayer  Books  supplied  by  us  to  societies  and  individuals, 
for  gratuitous  distribution.  These  distributions  have  been  prin- 
cipally made  in  the  most  destitute  parts  of  our  state ;  and  as  our 
operations  are  not  confined  to  prescribed  limits,  we  have  paid 
every  attention  to  the  Spiritual  wants  of  other  states.  The  most 
gratifying  accounts  came  from  the  Clergymen  who  were  travel- 
ling into,  and  intrusted  with  our  distribution  in  the  new  settle- 
ments of  our  country.  Through  the  industry  of  these  gentlemen, 
many  congregations  have  been  formed  for  divine  worship,  and  the 
most  important  results  may  be  expected.  Our  distributions  have 
also  been  liberal  in  the  state  of  Connecticut,  and  the  acknowledg- 
ments of  the  Clergy  very  gratifying. 

It  will  appear,  by  the  annexed  Report  of  the  Treasurer,  that 
the  receipts  during  the  year,  amount  to  $3,497.78,  and  that  the 
disbursements  amount  to  $3,346.22,  leaving  in  the  treasury  a 
balance  of  $151.56.  The  present  demands  on  the  treasury  will 
nearly  absorb  this  balance;  we  confidently  rest,  however,  in  the 
assurance  that  the  liberal  patronage  hitherto  extended  to  us  by 
our  fellow-citizens,  will  still  be  piously  afi^orded. 

Your  Board  of  Managers  have  lately  concluded  an  arrange- 
ment for  the  printing  of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  from  their 
stereotype  plates,  by  which  not  only  this  Society,  but  sister  socie- 
ties and  charitable  individuals  will  be  enabled  much  more  exten- 
sively to  promote  their  views.  In  the  completion  of  this  arrange- 
ment, your  Board  are  inspired  with  the  hope,  that  these  prayers, 
which  have  obtained  universal  reputation,  and  have  been  deserv- 
edly admired  among  Protestants  in  every  age,  will  be  more 
widely  circulated,  and  by  the  religion  infused  and  embodied 
therein,  the  hearts  and  lives  of  many  will  be  transformed  and 
brought  to  the  worship  of  God  with  zeal  and  knowledge,  spirit 
and  truth,  purity  and  sincerity. 

The  second  anniversary  of  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible 
and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  was  held  in  Trinity  Church, 


1818]  Election  of  Officers.  135 

on  Monday  Evening  the  26th  inst.  The  minutes  of  the  last  anni- 
versary were  read  and  approved,  the  Annual  Report  was  then 
read  by  Wm.  E.  Dunscomb,  Esq. — 

Whereupon,  on  motion  of  the  Right  Rev.  Bishop  Hobart, 
seconded  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Lyell,  the  following  resolutions  were 
unanimously  adopted : 

Resolved,  That  this  Society  receive,  with  much  satisfaction, 
the  very  interesting  Report  of  the  Board  of  Managers. 

Resolved,  That  the  thanks  of  the  Society  be  presented  to  the 
Board  of  Managers,  for  the  zeal  and  fidelity  with  which  they 
have  prosecuted  the  objects  of  the  institution. 

Resolved,  That  in  the  opinion  of  this  Society,  the  increasing 
number  of  Episcopalians,  who  are  scattered  through  the  new  set- 
tlements, and  the  wants  of  many  in  the  other  parts  of  our  coun- 
try, render  necessary  augmented  zeal  to  provide  them  with  the 
means  of  religious  knowledge  and  worship,  by  the  distribution  of 
the  Bible  and  Book  of  Common  Prayer;  and  that  these  consid- 
erations, while  they  afford  to  the  Society,  and  to  the  Managers, 
a  powerful  stimulus  to  perseverance,  under  the  Divine  blessings, 
in  their  labours,  will,  they  trust,  induce  the  friends  of  Religion, 
and  the  Church,  to  co-operate  with  them  in  their  pious  and  benev- 
olent work,  by  extending  to  the  institution  their  patronage  and 
beneficence. 

The  Society  then  proceeded  to  the  election  of  a  Board  of  Offi- 
cers and  managers  for  the  ensuing  year — when  the  following 
gentlemen  were  elected,  viz  : 

Edward  N.  Cox,  President. 

Luther  Bradish,  ist  Vice  President. 

Dr.  Gerardus  A.  Cooper,  2d  Vice  President. 

Floyd  Smith,  3d  Vice  President. 

Wm.  E.  Dunscomb,  Corresponding  Secretary.^ 

Wm.  Onderdonk,  Jun.,  Recording  Secretary. 

John  Smyth  Rogers,  Treasurer. 

Wm.  H.  Harison,  Agent. 

Managers: — Dr.  John  Watts,  Jun.,  Cornelius  R.  Duffie,  John 
Anthon,  Benjamin  Haight,  Thomas  N.  Stanford,  Lewis  Loutrel, 
Duncan  P.  Cambell,  John  H.  Hill,  Ferris  Pell,  Charles  Nicholls, 

I.  B.  Haight,  Esq.,  the  former  Corresponding  Secretary,  having  declined 
a  re-election. 


136  Address  by  Professor  McVickar.  [1818 

Charles  Keeler,  Alexis  P.  Proal,  David  A.  Clarkson,  John  J. 
Lambert,  Charles  W.  Sanford,  John  M.  Aspinwall,  Murray 
Hoffman,  Henry  Barclay. 

On  motion.  Ordered  that  the  proceedings  of  this  evening  be 
pubHshed  in  the  daily  papers,  and  that  1,250  copies  of  the  Annual 
Report,  together  with  the  proceedings,  be  published  in  the  form 
of  a  pamphlet,  for  the  use  of  the  Society. 

By  order  of  the  Society, 

Wm.  Onderdonk,  Jun. 

Recording  Secretary. 

New  York,  January  27th,  18 18. 

In  the  address  of  the  newly  elected  professor  of  moral  philoso- 
phy in  Columbia  College,  the  Rev.  John  McVickar,  there  are 
given  some  additional  particulars  of  the  wisdom  and  care  with 
which  the  Society  ministered  to  the  actual  necessities  of  the  City 
and  diocese. 

But  to  the  Society  itself: — The  Auxiliary  Bible  and  Common 
Prayer  Book  Society  arose  in  the  beginning  of  the  year  18 16,  as 
an  aid  to  the  Society  of  the  same  name  already  established.  How 
well  they  have  redeemed  that  pledge  of  aid,  I  need  not  say :  it 
would  not  be  going  too  far  to  assert,  that  instead  of  auxiliary 
they  have  become  principal;  that  they  have  outrun  those,  whose 
footsteps  they  were  but  to  follow :  and  this  I  say,  not  in  dispar- 
agement of  one,  but  in  praise  of  the  other ;  in  praise  of  an  ability 
and  zeal,  which,  in  an  age  of  increasing  fervour,  has  few  equals — 
I  know  of  none  superior. 

This  Society,  although  instituted  at  a  period  of  pecuniary 
distress  and  commercial  pressure,  did  yet,  through  the  zeal  and 
respectability  of  those  to  whom  the  management  of  it  was  in- 
trusted, so  win  upon  the  public  confidence,  that  it  wanted  not  for 
a  liberal  support.  Nor  was  that  confidence  misplaced :  in  their 
first  annual  report,  they  announced  the  distribution  of  above 
3,000  volumes,  besides  the  accomplishment  of  a  plan,  from  which 
abler  societies  had  shrunk — a  plan  long-desired,  but  desired  in 
vain;  I  mean,  the  securing,  by  Stereotype  Plates,  a  permanent 
supply  of  correct  copies  of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer. 

Of  the  importance  of  this  task,  you  may  form  an  idea  from 
this  simple  fact,  that  it  has  lowered  the  price  of  that  book  from 


1818]  Address  by  Professor  McVickar.  137 

75  to  373^  cents :  the  effect  of  which  reduction  will  be  to  increase 
the  number  disposed  of,  almost  in  the  ratio  of  the  reduction  it- 
self: one  proof  of  which  assertion  exists  in  the  report  of  the 
present  year  laid  before  me  in  MSS. ;  by  which  it  appears  that 
5,239  Books  of  Common  Prayer  have  been  disposed  of,  or  dis- 
tributed by  them  through  the  past  year,  besides  an  equally  large 
edition  struck  off  by  a  Bookseller,  who  hired  their  plates  for  that 
purpose.  I  mention  this  latter  fact  with  a  double  view ;  to  illus- 
trate the  prudence  as  well  as  zeal  of  the  Society.  Their  plates, 
which  cost  them  $1,221,  have  thus,  by  prudent  arrangements, 
already  repaid  them  near  20  per  cent,  of  their  original  cost,  and 
will,  I  doubt  not,  eventually  replace  the  whole  of  that  sum. 

In  such  hands,  charity  is  no  wasteful  fund,  and  we  may  safely 
make  those  our  almoners,  who  bring  all  the  economy  of  private 
management  into  their  public  expenditure.  In  truth,  this  is  no 
ostentatious  charity :  no  wanton  disbursement  of  money  earned 
without  labour,  to  catch  the  public  eye :  but  it  bears  the  marks  of 
the  orderly  arrangement  of  well  regulated  and  pious  minds;  it 
copies  the  wise  provisions  of  beneficent  nature,  which  gathers 
with  one,  while  she  disperses  with  the  other; — it  resembles  the 
great  luminary  of  Heaven,  who  while  he  sends  down  rain  on  a 
thirsty  land,  is  ever  drawing  to  himself  new  stores  of  vapour, 
from  the  bosom  of  the  exhaustless  ocean. 

The  number  of  Bibles  distributed  by  them  through  the  course 
of  the  past  year,  is  693 — making  the  whole  amount  for  the  scant 
two  years  of  the  Society's  existence,  1,190  Bibles,  7,989  Books 
of  Common  Prayer,  forming  an  aggregate  total  of  9,179  vol- 
umes. 

But  I  should  do  injustice  to  the  labours  of  this  Society,  were 
I  to  stop  here :  their  distribution  has  been  as  judicious  as  it  has 
been  extensive. 

The  wants  of  our  own  State  first  demanded,  and  first  met 
their  attention ;  the  adjoining  States,  in  proportion  to  their  needs, 
came  in  for  a  share  of  their  liberality;  and  finally,  the  great 
western  States  have  opened  to  them  a  field  of  usefulness,  more 
adequate  to  their  zeal,  than  to  their  pecuniary  means  to  cultivate. 

In  this  boundless  territory,  where,  perad venture,  future  em- 
pires lie  in  embryo,  the  labour  of  Apostles,  and  the  zeal  of  Mar- 
tyrs, is  not  wanting  to  build  up  the  Christian  Church;  the  seed 
has  indeed  been  sown,  and  the  vegetation  is  rapid;  but  without 


I3»  Address  by  Professor  McVickar.  [1818 

some  fostering  care,  it  will  be  choked  by  the  wild  weeds  of  a 
luxurious  soil ;  and  anxiously  does  this  Society  look  to  have  the 
honour  of  cultivating  it  with  the  hand  of  zeal,  and  watering  it 
with  stores  of  liberality.  But  that  hope,  as  well  as  all  its  other 
prospects,  rests,  under  the  good  Providence  of  God,  on  the  deci- 
sion you,  my  brethren,  shall  make  this  night  on  the  merits  of 
their  past  labours.       ♦**♦**♦*** 

This  is  indeed  an  era  of  religious  zeal  and  moral  improve- 
ment. It  is  a  period  in  which  the  overruling  power  of  Provi- 
dence stands  marked  and  signal,  carrying  on,  with  a  high  though 
secret  hand,  its  gracious  designs;  fulfilling  the  predictions  of 
ancient  time — turning  visions  into  realities — prophecy  into  pres- 
ent story;  preparing  for  that  blessed  consummation,  when  "from 
the  rising  to  the  setting  of  the  sun,  Christ's  name  shall  be  great 
among  the  Gentiles." 

Christianity  is  on  its  march  to  universal  empire;  but  have  we 
no  task  to  perform  in  it  ?  Are  we  idle  spectators  of  a  contest  in 
which  we  should  bear  our  part?  God  forbid!  If  we  share  not 
in  the  contest,  we  share  not  the  crown.  In  our  aids  to  this 
Society,  we  pay  a  portion  of  our  quota — we  roll  on  the  mighty 
scheme — we  press  forward  that  great  work,  that  for  i,8oo  years 
has  been  advancing — we  help  to  cap  that  Christian  temple,  which 
built  up  by  the  lives  and  labours  of  Martyrs  and  Apostles,  is 
soon,  we  trust,  to  be  prepared  for  the  reception  of  its  Lord. 

Through  us,  this  night,  some  shall  hear  of  the  name  of  Christ, 
who  never  heard  it  before,  some  heir  of  sin  shall  be  rescued  from 
the  paths  of  vice;  some  child  of  sorrow  shall  dry  its  tears;  and 
look  up  with  comfort  to  a  reconciled  God. — Through  us,  this 
night,  some  bed  of  sickness  shall  be  smoothed  of  its  thorns ;  some 
gjave  robbed  of  its  terrors;  some  fellow  creature  be  better  pre- 
pared to  pass  down  in  pious  resignation  into  the  mansions  of  the 
dead. 

Have  you  ever  witnessed,  my  brethren,  a  dying  bed?  Have 
you  seen  the  restless  workings  of  an  unquiet  mind,  the  rackings 
of  a  guilty  conscience?  If  you  have,  you  will  agree  with  me,  that 
no  liberality  is  so  well  applied,  no  charity  so  nobly  exerted,  as 
that  which  prepares  comfort  and  peace  for  a  dying  hour. 

I  need  not  remind  you  that  that  hour  awaits  us  all — that  on 
one  bed  every  head  must  rest — on  one  pillow  every  eye  must 
close — in  one  dark  and  narrow  chamber  we  all  must  rest ;  but  I 


1818]  Address  by  Professor  McVickar.  139 

will  remind  you,  that  no  better  plan  hath  ever  been  found  to 
smooth  to  ourselves  that  fated  path,  than  to  smooth  it  before- 
hand for  others. 

Give  then  to  this  charity,  according  to  your  means,  to  your 
feelings,  to  your  convictions.  "Cast  thy  bread  upon  the  waters, 
and  after  many  days  thou  shalt  find  it." — Thou  shalt  find  it  this 
night  in  the  comfort  of  an  approving  conscience;  thou  shalt  find 
it  in  years  to  come  in  the  increase  of  virtue  and  religion,  and  all 
the  blessings  which  follow  in  their  train ;  and  to  crown  all,  that 
charity  thus  cast  abroad  for  others,  thou  shalt  find,  in  thine  hour 
of  need,  laid  up  for  thyself.* 


I.  An  Address  delivered  before  The  Auxiliary  New- York  Bible  and 
Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  in  St.  Paul's  Chapel,  in  the  City  of  New- 
York,  on  Thursday,  the  29th  day  of  January,  A.  D.  1818.  By  John  McVickar, 
Coll.  Col.  Prof.  Published  by  the  Request  of  the  Society:  New- York: 
Prirlted  by  William  A.  Mercein,  No.  93  Gold-Street.  1818. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

CONTENTS. 

Auxiliary  Societies  Continuing  to  be  Formed  Under  Bishop  Hobart's 
Influence  —  Other  Diocesan  Societies  Also  Formed  —  First  Annual  Report 
of  the  Common  Prayer-Book  Society  of  Pennsylvania  —  Meeting  of  the 
N.  Y.  B.  &  C.  P.  B.  Society,  February  24,  1819— Ninth  Annual 
Report  —  Third  Report  of  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Society  —  Appointment 
of  an  "Agent"  by  the  N.  Y.  Society  —  Mr.  Henry  McFarlan  Elected  — 
Annual  Meeting  of  the  Society  in  Trinity  Church,  24  February,  1820  — 
Tenth  Annual  Report  —  Fourth  Report  of  the  Auxiliary  Society  —  The  Li- 
berian  Colony  —  Letters  from  the  Rev.  Samuel  Bacon  to  Bishop  Hobart  — 
The  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  of  the  Western  District  — 
Annual  Report  of  the  N.  Y.  Auxiliary  for  182 1  —  Meeting  of  the  N.  Y.  B. 
&  C.  P.  B.  Society,  1821,  February  27th  —  Eleventh  Annual  Report  —  Estab- 
lishment of  the  General  Theological  Seminary  in  New  York  and  Perfected 
Organization  of  the  Domestic  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society  —  Sixth 
Annual  Report  of  the  Auxiliary  Society  —  Twelfth  Annual  Report  of  the 
N.  Y.  B.  &  C.  P.  B.  Society. 

THE  opening  of  the  year  1819  found  the  Society  making 
marked  progress.  The  Diocese  of  New  York  was  aroused 
to  the  necessity  for  country  and  town  societies,  and  under 
the  invigorating  and  cheering  suggestions  of  the  Bishop, 
many  were  formed.  In  other  Dioceses  Prayer  Book  Societies 
were  organized  and  did  their  work  efficiently. 

The  first  annual  report  of  the  Common  Prayer  Book  Society 
of  Pennsylvania  is  printed  in  the  Christian  Journal  for  February, 
1819.  It  mentioned  the  circumstances  of  its  formation  "toward 
the  close  of  the  year  18 17,"  the  purchase  from  D.  and  G.  Bruce, 
of  New  York,  of  a  set  of  stereotype  plates,  the  issue  of  an  edition 
of  one  thousand  copies,  of  which  five  hundred  were  sold  to 
Messrs.  S.  &  P.  Potter,  booksellers  of  Philadelphia,  and  the 
remainder  distributed  to  subscribers  according  to  the  design  of 
the  Society. 

Its  President  was  the  Hon.  Chief  Justice  Tilghman.  Bishop 
White  was  its  Patron;  its  Vice  Presidents  were  Daniel  Smith, 
Charles  N.  Bancker,  Dr.  F.  P.  Glentworth;  the  Rev.  George 
Boyd  was  its  Corresponding  Secretary,  Mr.  Charles  Wheeler  its 
Recording  Secretary,  and  Mr.  Richard  P.  Smith  its  Treasurer.^ 

I.    The  Christian  Journal,  1819,  pp.  46,  47,  48. 

140 


1819]  Ninth  Annual  Report.  141 

It  was  under  these  encouraging  circumstances  that  the  Mana- 
gers held  their  meeting  on  February  24,  18 19. 

The  Secretary  from  the  Standing  Committee  read  a  report 
proposed  by  the  committee  as  the  report  of  this  board,  to  be  read 
at  the  approaching  meeting  of  the  Society. 

The  report  was  adopted  by  the  board,  for  the  purpose  pro- 
posed by  the  Standing  Committee,  and  the  following  is  the  text 
of  the  report  as  found  in  the  Christian  Journal : 

Ninth  Annual  Report. 

Two  hundred  and  sixteen  Bibles,  and  six  hundred  and  eighty- 
six  Prayer  Books  have  been  gratuitously  distributed  within  the 
past  year. 

The  following  report  of  the  Treasurer,  rendered  to  the  Board 
of  Managers,  will  show  the  state  of  the  funds. 

By  a  reference  to  the  Treasurer's  accounts  herewith  presented, 
it  will  be  seen,  that  the  receipts  for  the  last  year,  on  account  of 
the  disposable  fund  of  the  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  So- 
ciety, amount  to  $1,310.19,  and  the  expenditures  to  $1,405,30, 
viz. 

For  the  purchase  of  stereotype  plates  for  the  Com- 
mon Prayer  Book $992  00 

For  216  Bibles,  and  686  Prayer  Books 41 1  80 

For  advertising i   50 


$1,405  30 


The  balance  of  this  account,  $122.53  (which  includes  the  bal- 
ance of  the  last  year's  account),  was  borrowed  from  the  perma- 
nent fund.  This  the  Treasurer  was  enabled  to  do,  by  the  receipt 
of  the  last  payment  on  the  vState  7  per  cent,  loan,  belonging  to 
the  Society.  He  consequently  did  not  avail  himself  of  the  author- 
ity given  by  the  Board  of  Managers,  to  make  a  loan  to  pay  the 
deficiency  in  the  appropriation  for  the  purchase  of  the  stereo- 
type plates. 

The  receipts  on  account  of  the  permanent  fund  of  the  Society, 
amount  only  to  $175,  of  which  sum  $170  were  the  balance  due 
on  the  State  7  per  cent  loan.  The  state  of  that  fund  varies  but 
little  in  amount  from  the  last  year,  being  composed  of 


142  Niirth  Annual  Report.  ;[18i0 

32  Shares  in  the  Eagle  Fire  Company,  cost $3,667  60 

ID  Shares  in  the  Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Company.. .  598  .60 

Due  from  the  account  of  disposable  fund       $122  53 

Cash    126  12 —     248  63 

$4,514  85 
The  sum  to  be  disposed  of  the  ensuing  year,  may  be 

calculated  at  about $285  00 

Arising  from  dividends  of  stock, . .  $333  00 

Annual  contribution   100  00 — $433  00 

Due  the  permanent  fund 122  53 

Contingent  expenses 25  00 —  147  53 — $285  47 

GuLiAN  Ludlow,  Treasurer. 
New  York,  Feb.  i,  1819. 

The  Managers  have  prepared  a  circular,  addressed  to  the 
members  of  our  Church  in  this  city,  soliciting  further  patronage 
to  the  Society ;  and  another  to  the  several  clergymen  and  vacant 
parishes  in  the  diocese,  suggesting  the  formation  of  Auxiliary 
Societies.  The  encouragement  held  out  to  our  manbers,  and  to 
Societies,  by  the  cheapness  of  our  8vo  Prayer  Book,  we  hope  will 
insure  to  these  efforts  considerable  success.  We  trust  it  wiU 
please  the  Divine  Head  of  the  Church,  to  excite  among  us  a  spirit 
of  pious  and  zealous  liberality,  more  proportioned  than  what  has 
yet  appeared,  to  our  religious  privileges,  and  in  greater  con- 
formity with  the  dictates  of  gratitude  and  love  to  God,  of  regard 
for  the  Redeemer's  Church,  and  of  solicitude  for  the  temporal 
and  eternal  good  of  men. 

We  are  gratified  at  the  additional  evidence  the  past  year  has 
afforded  to  the  Church,  of  the  fidelity  of  her  members,  in  aiding 
her  in  the  dissemination  of  Christian  truth  and  practice.  In- 
stances have  come  to  our  knowledge,  in  the  formation  of  "The 
Connecticut  Protestant  Episcopal  Society  for  the  Promotion  of 
Christian  Knowledge" ;  the  "Female  Bible  and  Common  Prayer 
Book  Society  of  St.  Andrew's  Church,  Orange  County";  "The 
Johnstown  Auxiliary  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society" ; 
the  "Protestant  Episcopal  Sunday  School  Society  of  Philadel- 
phia" ;  the  "Common  Prayer  Book  Society  of  Pennsylvania,"  and 
the  "Female  Tract  Society  of  Worthing^on  and  its  vicinity." 
It  is  in  the  highest  degree  gratifying  to  see  the  members  of  the 


1819]  Ninth  Annual  Report.  i43 

Church  thus  interested  in  extending  the  inestimable  benefits  de- 
signed by  its  establishment  Let  us  supplicate  for  these  efiforts 
the  Divine  direction  and  blessing;  that  they  may  be  successful  in 
spreading  the  pure  and  undefiled  religion  of  the  Gospel ;  in  pro- 
moting the  glory  of  God  the  Father,  who  made  us,  and  all  the 
world — God  the  Son,  who  redeemed  us,  and  all  mankind — God 
the  Holy  Ghost,  who  sanctifieth  us,  and  all  the  people  of  God; 
and  in  advancing  the  present  and  eternal  welfare  of  the  human 
race.  Let  us  beseech  him  who  honours  men,  by  making  them 
instruments  in  effecting  the  designs  of  his  providence  and  grace, 
to  infuse  into  the  hearts  of  his  peopk  a  spirit  of  willing  and  zeal- 
ous devotion  to  his  cause,  manifesting  by  consecrating  to  it  the 
personal  exertions  for  which  circumstances  may  fit  them;  and 
especially  by  contributing — they  that  have  much,  plentifully,  they 
that  have  little  gladly  of  that  little,  to  the  institutions  of  the 
Church  designed  to  promote  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  good  of 
men. 

By  order  of  the  Board. 

John  H.  Hob  art.  President. 
Benj.  T.  Onderdonk,  Secretary. 

New  York,  Feb.  24,  18 19. 

The  report  having  been  read  and  accepted,  the  following  gen- 
tlemen were  elected  to  unite  with  the  Bishop  and  Clergy  of  the 
city,  as  the  Board  of  Managers  for  the  ensuing  year :  Matthew 
Clarkson,  John  Onderdonk,  John  Slidell,  Henry  Rogers,  George 
Dominick,  Gulian  Ludlow,  Isaac  Carow,  Richard  Whiley,  Henry 
M'Farlan,  Richard  Piatt. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Managers,  held  on  Friday,  March 
5,  the  Rev.  Benj.  T.  Onderdonk  was  chosen  Secretary,  and  Mr. 
Gulian  Ludlow,  Treasurer.^ 

New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society. 

The  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  offer 
to  Subscribers,  Auxiliary  Societies,  and  other  Institutions  embrac- 
ing within  their  objects  the  gratuitous  distribution  of  the  Book 
of  Common  Prayer,  one  Bible,  or  one  octavo  Prayer  Book,  neatly 
bound,  for  every  dollar  which  they  contribute. 

The  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  has 

I.    The  Christian  Journal,  February,  1819.    Volume  III.,  No.  2,  pp.  45,  46. 


144  Ninth  Annual  Report.  [1819 

recently  procured  a  set  of  Stereotype  plates  of  the  Book  of  Com- 
mon Prayer,  of  the  octavo  size.  There  has  long  been  felt  the 
want  of  a  Prayer  Book  printed  with  a  large  letter,  sufficiently 
cheap  to  promote  its  gratuitous  circulation  among  the  aged,  and 
others  whose  sight  is  affected.  The  Society  hopes  to  accomplish 
this  object  with  the  present  edition,  through  the  medium  of  its 
own  members,  and  of  Auxiliary  and  other  Institutions.  The 
terms  of  membership,  are  the  annual  payment  of  a  sum  not  less 
than  one  dollar,  or  an  immediate  payment  of  a  sum  not  less  than 
fifteen  dollars.  For  every  dollar  annually  paid,  a  member  is 
entitled  to  a  Bible  or  an  octavo  Prayer  Book.  A  member  for  life 
is  entitled  to  the  same,  annually,  for  every  fifteen  dollars  he  con- 
tributes. Thus,  while  the  octavo  Prayer  Book  is  afforded  to 
members  at  a  very  reduced  price,  a  small  profit,  which  the  Society 
derives  from  each,  will  be  a  means  of  increasing  its  usefulness. 
Members  will  be  hereby  enabled,  not  only  gradually  to  supply 
their  own  families  at  a  very  moderate  cost,  with  large  Prayer 
Books,  but  also,  with  the  least  possible  inconvenience,  to  exercise 
their  pious  benevolence,  by  bestowing  them  on  the  poor,  to  whom 
the  small  book,  usually  circulated,  may  be  useless,  in  consequence 
of  the  difficulty  of  reading  its  diminutive  print. 

The  hope  is  confidently  cherished,  that  a  plan  thus  combining 
the  interests  of  both  the  Society  and  its  members,  with  the  grati- 
fication of  the  charitable  dispositions  of  the  latter,  will  secure 
success  to  this  renewed  effort  for  obtaining  the  liberal  support  of 
the  Church. 

The  present  application  is  made,  and  the  success  of  it  rendered 
peculiarly  necessary,  on  account  of  the  insufficiency  of  the  collec- 
tions made  to  meet  the  expenses  of  these  plates. 

The  gratuitous  distribution,  throughout  the  Dioceses,  of  the 
Bible  and  the  small  Prayer  Book,  will  be  continued  as  heretofore. 

By  order  of  the  Board. 

John  Henry  Hobart, 

Bishop  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church  in  the  State  of  New  York, 

President. 
B.  T.  Onderdonk,  Sec'ry. 

New  York,  Feb.  12,  1819.^ 

I.    The  Christian  Journal,  1819,  pp.  62,  63. 


1819]  Third  Auxiliary  Report.  145 

The  notice  referred  to  was  given  a  wide  circulation  both  in  the 
city  and  Diocese,  and  printed  in  the  diocesan  paper,  The  Chris- 
tian Journal. 

In  the  report  of  the  Auxiliary  Society  will  be  found  much  of 
interest.  It  shows  what  a  devoted  body  of  young  men  were  able 
to  accomplish : 

Third  Auxiliary  Report. 

On  presenting  the  third  Annual  Report  to  the  Auxiliary  New 
York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  the  Managers 
feel  it  incumbent  upon  them,  first,  to  acknowledge  the  Divine 
blessing  upon  their  exertions,  and  to  express  their  sense  of  grati- 
tude for  the  prosperity,  which,  under  Providence,  has  attended 
the  labours  of  the  past  year.- 

In  the  infant  state  of  the  Society,  it  became  the  duty  of  the 
Managers  to  reflect  upon  the  several  methods  of  accomplishing 
their  objects.  Repeated  and  mature  deliberations  determined  the 
•course  to  be  pursued.  The  smallness  of  their  funds  precluded  the 
purchase  of  stereotype  plates  of  the  Bible.  Stereotype  copies  of 
it  were  to  be  had  at  a  moderate  price,  while  the  Book  of  Common 
Prayer  had  not  yet  been  stereotyped  in  this  city.  The  copies  of 
the  Prayer  Book,  which  were  obtained  during  the  first  year  of 
the  Society's  operations,  were  disadvantageously  circulated,  as 
they  were  foimd,  relatively  speaking,  to  exceed  greatly  the  price 
of  stereotyped  works.  With  due  consideration,  therefore,  to  the 
usefulness  of  the  Society,  and  the  economy  and  increase  of  its 
funds,  in  accomplishing  its  two-fold  object,  viz.,  the  more  general 
circulation  of  the  Bible,  and  also  of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer, 
they  resolved  to  possess  themselves  of  stereotype  plates  of  the 
Prayer  Book.  Since  that  time,  the  Managers  have  had  reason  to 
believe,  that  a  similar  advantage  to  the  Society  from  an  improve- 
ment in  the  economy  and  increase  of  its  funds,  would  attend  the 
possession  of  stereotype  plates  of  the  Bible  also.  They  had  long 
contemplated  and  ardently  wished  to  procure  them;  their  funds, 
however,  still  remained  inadequate  to  the  object,  and  they  did  not 
feel  themselves  authorized  to  withdraw  any  part  of  the  money 
then  employed  in  circulating  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer.  The 
necessity  of  an  appeal  to  the  members  of  the  Church  was  urged, 
and  the  result  has  fully  justified  the  appeal. 

By  the  bounty  of  the  individuals  emulating  each  other  in  their 
patronage  of  the  Society,  the  Managers  have  been  enabled  to  con- 
do) 


146  Third  Auxiliary  Report.  [181^ 

elude  a  contract  for  a  set  of  stereot>'])e  plates  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures in  duodeciino;  to  be  completed  by  the  month  of  July  next- 
The  tj'pe  and  convenient  size  of  the  volume,  adapt  it  to  almost 
every  age  and  condition  of  life,  and  render  it  appropriate  for  the- 
school,  the  closet  and  the  church.  Directions  have  been  g^ven  to 
commence  the  execution  of  the  plates  with  the  New  Testament, 
so  as  to  enable  the  Society  to  furnish  an  edition  of  that  part  of 
the  holy  volume,  for  the  use  of  schools,  and  of  such  persons  and. 
societies  as  may  desire  to  have  it,  in  a  cheap  and  convenient  fornix 
These  plates  will  be  finished  in  the  course  of  five  or  six  weeks^ 
and  shortly  thereafter,  the  New  Testament  will  be  ready  for 
delivery.  By  this  arrangement  the  ability  and  usefulness  of  thc- 
Society  have  been  consulted  and  enlarged,  and  an  additional  e\n- 
dence  is  given  of  the  unceasing  desire  of  its  members  to  aid  iii 
distributing  the  word  of  life.  The  list  of  subscribers  to  this  work 
of  Christian  charity  will  be  published  as  soon  as  the  subscriptions 
are  completed.  Eighteen  hundred  dollars  have  already  been  col- 
lected and  paid  by  the  Managers  on  account  of  those  plates — five 
hundred  dollars  more  will  become  due  on  the  final  deliverv-  of 
them  to  the  Societ}* :  for  this  sum  the  Managers  have  made  them- 
selves responsible,  in  full  confidence  that  it  will  be  subscribed  by 
those  to  whom  application  has  not  yet  been  made. 

By  an  arrangement  made  the  last  year  with  Messrs.  Kirk  & 
Mercein,  for  the  printing  and  sale  of  the  Book  of  0)mmon 
Prayer,  a  great  reduction  of  its  price  was  obtained,  with  a  view 
to  the  benefit  and  increase  of  that  denomination  of  Christians 
throughout  the  United  States,  whose  wants,  interests  and  relig- 
ious feelings  could  not  be  separated  from  those  of  the  same  per- 
suasion in  this  State.  In  relinquishing  all  profit  arising  from  the 
sale  of  the  Prayer  Book,  in  surrendering  this  source  of  re\'enuc^ 
and  thus  diminishing  the  nimiber  and  extent  of  their  own  immedi- 
ate distributions,  the  Managers  it  is  believed  have  greatly  extended 
the  circulation  of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer.  The  pleasure 
and  credit  of  being  themselves  the  public  instruments  of  spreading 
it,  coextensively  with  the  funds  that  might  be  derived  from  the 
loan  of  their  stereotype  plates  in  this  city,  was  superseded  by  the 
paramount  duty  of  rendering  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  acces- 
sible to  every  Episcopalian  throughout  the  Union,  either  by 
gratuity,  or  by  cheapness  of  price,  as  might  best  comport  with 
the  feelings  or  ability  of  the  individuals.    The  operation  of  this- 


1819]  Third  Auxiliary  Report.  147 

plan,  in  relation  to  the  price  of  the  hcx)k,  has  realized  the  expectft'- 
tions  of  the  Mamigers : — instead  of  a  diminution  of  the  sales  of 
Booksellers,  they  have  witnessc<l  an  unexampled  demand  for  the 
Book  of  Common  Prayer: — in  addition  to  tlic  ntiinhcr  circulated 
in  the  name  of  the  Society,  it  is  believed  that  twenty  thousand 
copies  have  been  sold  in  this  city,  and  that  the  amount  of  sales  of 
the  Prayer  Book  durinjj  the  last  year  is  wholly  unprecedented. 

The  interests  of  individuals  have  been  made  subservient  to  the 
worship  of  the  Church,  and  the  homage  of  private  sacrifice  is 
paid  to  the  public  dissemination  of  the  truths  of  Christianity. 

Some  astonishment  having  been  expressed  at  the  great  number 
of  Prayer  Books  stated  in  this  report  to  have  been  sold  in  this 
city  in  the  course  of  the  past  year  it  may  be  proi)er  to  remark,  that 
this  is  al)out  the  number  sold  by  three  Booksellers  only.  Since 
the  report  was  submitted  it  has  been  ascertained  that  there  is 
another  set  of  stereotype  plates  of  the  Prayer  Book,  which  have 
been  in  use  during  the  last  eighteen  months,  and  that  near  ten 
thousand  copies  have  been  struck  from  them:  and  nejirly  the 
whole  number  sold  within  that  period.  If  six  thousand  of  them 
were  sold  during  the  last  year,  there  is  an  aggregate  number  of 
twenty-six  thousand  copies  sold  by  four  Booksellers  alone  during 
the  last  year.  If  four  thousand  copies  only  be  allowed  to  have 
been  sold  by  all  the  other  Booksellers  within  that  time,  there  is  a 
total  of  thirty  thousand  Books  of  Common  Prayer  sold  during 
the  year,  exclusive  of  those  sold  and  distributed  by  this  Society.* 

A  society  doing  its  work  by  the  circulation  of  lKX)ks  does  not 
present  any  strange  or  new  incidents  to  startle  and  interest. 
When  once  the  consciences  of  the  men  and  women  of  the  Church 
had  been  anmsed  to  the  Ixjundcn  duty  and  necessity  of  providing 
the  people  of  the  land  with  Prayer  liooks,  and  the  offerings  large 
or  small  had  l)ecn  made,  it  is  only  as  that  Society  reiK)rts  to  its 
constituents  that  we  can  learn  how  fully  it  has  achieve<l  its  fmr- 
pose.  Its  success  dependetl  largely  u|)on  the  faithfulness  of  the 
parish  priest,  the  activity  of  the  missionary  and  the  enlightened 
discernment  of  the  thoughtful  laymen.  'J'he  princij)les  of  the 
Church  were  then  being  instilled  into  the  minds  of  many  in  the 

I.  The  Third  Annual  Report  of  the  Managers  of  the  Auxiliary  New  York 
Bible  Society  and  Common  Prayer-Book  Society.     1819. 


148  Agent  Appointed.  [1820 

"western  country"  by  pious  laymen  and  true  pioneers  of  the  faith. 
The  correspondence  of  Bishop  Hobart  shows  that  from  every 
part  of  the  State  there  was  enquiry  concerning  the  Church  and 
in  almost  every  new  settlement  people  were  ready  to  form  a  con- 
gr^^tion.  The  great  need  then  was  more  dergy,  more  Prayer 
Books,  and  of  works  treating  of  the  Church  and  its  ways.  The 
members  of  the  Society  took  in  1820  an  important  forward  step 
in  the  appointment  of  an  agent. 

In  Mr.  McFarlan  they  found  a  man  admirably  adapted  to  keep 
closely  in  touch  with  the  forward  movement  of  the  Church,  and 
through  whom  the  benefits  of  the  Society  could  be  most  wisely 
extended. 

At  a  stated  meeting  of  the  Board  held  February  2,  1820,  it 
was — 

Resolved,  that  the  sum  of  $500,  stated  by  the  Treasurer  to  be 
the  probable  disposable  amount  for  the  ensuing  year,  be  applied, 
in  equal  parts,  to  the  purchase  of  Bibles  and  prayer  books  for 
gratuitous  distribution. 

Resolved,  that  the  following  be  added  to  the  Rules  and  Regula- 
tions of  this  Society : 

An  Agent  shall  be  appointed  by  the  Board  of  Managers,  whose 
duty  it  shall  be  to  see  that  the  orders  for  Bibles  and  Common 
Prayer  Books  are  executed,  and  furnished  to  the  subscribers  and 
others,  agreeably  to  the  directions  of  the  Board  of  Managers,  and 
that  the  dues  are  collected.  For  this  purpose  he  shall  cause  every 
subscriber  to  be  furnished  with  the  annual  Report,  with  a  copy 
annexed  of  a  rule  relative  to  the  number  of  Bibles  or  Common 
Prayer  Books  to  which  he  may  be  entitled,  and  shortly  thereafter, 
with  a  printed  demand  for  his  annual  dues,  and  with  an  order  for 
the  number  of  Bibles  or  Common  Prayer  Books  to  which  he  may 
be  entitled,  which  order,  when  his  dues  are  paid,  shall  be  executed, 
provided  it  be  presented  within  three  months  after  the  date  of 
the  receipt  for  his  dues ;  and  if  not  presented  within  that  time,  he 
shall  be  considered  as  giving  his  consent  that  the  Bibles  or  Com- 
mon Prayer  Books  to  which  he  may  be  entitled,  shall  be  at  the 
disposal  of  the  managers  for  gratuitous  distribution,  all  which 
shall  be  specified  in  the  orders  respectively.  The  agent  shall, 
also,  from  time  to  time,  take  measures  to  increase  the  subscribers; 
and  at  the  meeting  on  the  first  Wednesday  of  February  in  every 
year,  he  shall  make  a  report  to  the  Managers  of  the  number  of 


1820]  Annual  Meeting.  149 

subscribers,  and  the  amount  of  their  subscriptions,  of  the  number 
of  Bibles  and  Common  Prayer  Books  furnished  to  subscribers, 
and  distributed,  and  of  all  other  particulars  connected  with  the 
duties  of  his  office. 

Mr.  Henry  McFarlan  was  appointed  Agent. 

New  York,  February  29th,  1820. 

This  being  "the  first  Tuesday  after  the  24th  February,  the 
Festival  of  St.  Matthias,"  <-he  annual  meeting  of  the  Society  was 
held  in  Trinity  Church. 

The  President  having  taken  the  chair,  the  minutes  of  the  last 
annual  meeting  were  read. 

The  Secretary  then  read  the  Tenth  Annual  Report  of  the 
Board  of  Managers. 

The  report  was  accepted,  and  the  Secretary  directed  to  have  it 
published  in  such  way  as  he  may  judge  best. 

There  was  laid  before  the  meeting  the  following  proposed  addi- 
tion to  the  4th  Article  of  the  Constitution,  which  had  been 
adopted  by  the  requisite  majority  of  the  Board  of  Managers,  and 
to  which  in  order  to  its  final  passage,  a  concurrent  vote  of  two 
thirds  of  a  meeting  of  the  Society  is  essential : 

The  President  shall  have  the  power  of  dispensing  with  the 
preceding  provisions  of  this  article,  and  adopting  some  other 
mode  of  obtaining  the  annual  public  contribution. 

This  amendment  was  unanimously  adopted. 

The  Society  then  proceeded  to  the  election  of  ten  laymen  to  be 
associated  with  the  Bishop  of  this  Diocese,  and  the  clergy  resident 
in  the  City  of  New  York,  as  a  Board  of  Managers  for  the  ensu- 
ing year.    The  following  gentlemen  were  duly  chosen : 

Matthew  Clarkson,  John  Onderdonk,  John  Slidell,  Henry  Rog- 
ers, George  Dominic,  Gulian  Ludlow,  Isaac  Carow,  Richard 
Whiley,  Henry  McFarlan,  Richard  Piatt. 

This  account  of  the  Annual  Meeting  is  found  in  the  Christian 
Journal : 

The  annual  meeting  of  the  New  York  Bible  and  Common 
Prayer  Book  Society  was  held  in  Trinity  Church,  New  York,  on 
Tuesday,  February  29,  when  was  read  the 

Tenth  Annual  Report. 

In  submitting  a  statement  of  their  proceedings  during  the  past 
year,  the  attention  of  the  Board  of  Managers  is  first  directed  to 


150  Tenth  Annual  Report.  [1820 

the  fidelity  with  which  a  committee  of  their  number  have  prose- 
cuted the  soHciting  of  increased  patronage.  The  result  appears 
in  a  collection  of  $695 ;  so  that  the  permanent  fund,  which  was 
reported  last  year  to  amount  to  $4,514.85,  is  now  $5,157.35,  and 
the  disposable  sum  this  year  is  $599.40;  whereas  it  amounted, 
last  year,  only  to  $285.47. 

Among  the  members,  however,  of  several  of  the  congregations 
in  the  city,  the  subscription  books  hav«  not  yet  been  circulated. 
It  is  expected  that  this  will  be  done  early  in  the  present  year.  It 
is  hoped  that  the  advantage  attending  subscription  to  this  Society 
(the  procuring,  at  so  low  a  rate,  of  octavo  Prayer  Books)  will 
insure  full  success  to  the  application. 

Five  hundred  dollars  have  been  recently  appropriated,  in  equal 
parts,  to  the  purchase  of  Bibles  and  Prayer  Books  for  gratuitous 
distribution. 

One  hundred  and  fifty-eight  Bibles,  and  475  Prayer  Books 
have  been  distributed  during  the  past  year.  Since  the  institution 
of  the  Society,  in  1809,  it  has  gratuitously  distributed  2,714 
Bibles,  500  New  Testaments,  and  4,492  Prayer  Books;  making 
an  aggregate  of  7,706  volumes. 

Such  a  number  of  volumes,  we  may  gratefully  hope,  have  not 
gone  in  vain  into  the  world.  The  knowledge,  so  necessary  to 
salvation,  of  the  Word  and  Church  of  God,  which  they  impart — 
the  sound  doctrine,  the  pure  morals,  the  evangelistic  order,  and 
the  holy  worship,  in  which  they  are  calculated  to  interest  the 
understanding  and  affections,  we  cannot  doubt,  have  produced, 
and  are  continuing  to  produce,  through  the  divine  blessing,  fruit 
unto  holiness  here,  and  everlasting  happiness  hereafter. 

It  surely  is  no  small  honour  to  aid  the  Church  of  God  in  pro- 
moting the  objects  for  which  she  was  appointed,  his  glory,  and 
the  spiritual  and  eternal  good  of  men.  It  surely  is  a  most  inter- 
esting consideration  that,  by  so  doing,  we  make  to  our  Heavenly 
Father  an  offering  of  his  own  gifts  that  he  has  been  pleased  to 
promise  he  will  accept  and  bless.  These  privileges  our  Society 
confers  on  her  members.  Recognizing  the  Church  as  an  institu- 
tion, divinely  established,  for  preserving  and  extending  pure  and 
undefiled  religion,  she  consecrates  her  efforts  to  making  it  instru- 
mental in  disseminating  a  knowledge  of  the  "holy  writ"  of  which 
it  "is  a  witness  and  keeper"^ — in  recommending  that  "truth,  of" 

I.    Twenty-second  Article  of  Religion. 


1820]  Tenth  Annual  Report.  151 

which  it  is  "the  pillar  and  ground"^ — and  bringing  men  into 
that  connection  with  "the  body  of  Christ,"  in  which  is  to  be  pre- 
•served  "unity  of  the  faith,  and  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of 
-God" ;  in  which  is  the  only  security  against  being  "carried  about 
with  every  wind  of  doctrine,  by  the  sleight  of  men,  and  cunning 
•craftiness,  whereby  they  lie  in  wait  to  deceive" ;  and  in  which, 
■**fitly  joined  and  knit  together,"  grace  derived  from  "Christ  the 
Head"  ministereth  "nourishment  unto  edifying,"  unto  "the  per- 
fecting of  the  saints,"  and  increasing  "with  the  increase  of 
•God,"  till  there  be  attained  "the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the 
fulness  of  Christ."* 

Such  are  the  comprehensive  and  infinitely  momentous  objects 
of  our  institution.  To  place  within  reach  these  inestimable  bless- 
ings, the  Son  of  God  took  our  nature,  suffered,  and  died.  To 
'enable  men  to  attain  to  them,  the  Holy  Ghost  offers  the  direct- 
ing, sanctifying  and  aiding  influences  purchased  by  the  Redeem- 
•er's  merit.  We  may  contribute  to  bring  to  our  perishing  fellow 
-creatures  a  knowledge  of  these  blessings,  to  interest  them  in 
■seeking  them,  to  draw  them  to  an  humble  and  faithful  use  of  the 
means  appointed  for  their  attainment.  Will  we  be  remiss? 
Civil  Society  dreading  the  ills  of  infidelity,  vice,  and  ignorance — 
the  Church,  asking  of  her  members  to  give  every  facility  to  secur- 
ing the  full  benefits  designed  by  her  establishment — immortal 
souls,  in  danger  of  losing  the  happiness,  and  incurring  the  awful 
condemnation  of  eternity — our  God  calling  on  his  intelligent 
creatures  not  to  be  indifferent  to  his  honour,  on  his  redeemed 
ones,  to  interpose  in  rescuing  the  cross  from  being  despised,  and 
the  blood  of  the  covenant  from  being  counted  an  unholy  thing, 
and  on  those  who  have  experienced  the  sanctifying  influences  of 
liis  grace,  to  feel  for  them  who,  unrenewed  in  the  spirit  of  their 
minds,  are  going  to  perdition : — these,  in  accents  such  as  infinite 
importance  dictates,  put  to  the  conscience  of  each  one  the  serious 
inquiry — Wilt  thou  be  remiss  f 

Signed  by  order  of  the  Board, 

J.  H.  HoBART,  President. 
Attested,  Benj.  T.  Onderdonk,  Secy. 

New  York,  February  23,  1820.' 


1.  I  Tim.  iii.  15. 

2.  Eph.  iv.  12-16;  Col.  ii.  19. 

3.  The  Christian  Journal,  April,  1820.    Volume  IV.,  No.  4,  pp.  124,  125. 


152  Meeting  of  the  Auxiliary.  [1820^ 

This  report  should  be  supplemented  by  that  of  the  Auxiliary 
Society  prepared  by  Mr.  Cornelius  R.  Duffie.  Its  compiler  was 
a  man  highly  esteemed  by  his  associates,  who  after  very  long 
consideration,  late  in  life  entered  the  holy  ministry  and  became 
the  founder  and  first  Rector  of  Saint  Thomas's  Church.  He 
gave  liberally  of  his  own  means  for  its  erection  and  its  support. 

New  York,  January  25,  1820. 

This  being  the  fourth  anniversary  of  the  Auxiliary  New  York- 
Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  pursuant  to  public 
notice  the  Society  assembled  in  Trinity  Church,  at  seven  o'clock 
p.  m.  Floyd  Smith,  2d  Vice  President  in  the  chair,  and  Charles 
Keeler,  Secretary,  the  minutes  of  the  last  annual  meeting  were 
read  and  approved.  The  Annual  Report  of  the  Board  of  Mana- 
gers was  then  read  by  Mr.  Cornelius  R.  Duffie;  whereupon  on 
motion  of  the  Right  Rev.  Bishop  Hobart,  seconded  by  the  Rev.. 
Mr.  Montgomery, 

Resolved,  That  the  Report  just  read  be  accepted. 

On  motion  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Onderdonk, 

Resolved,  That  the  Report  just  read,  together  with  the  pro- 
ceedings of  this  meeting,  be  published,  and  that  the  mode  of  its 
publication  be  such  as  to  render  its  circulation  as  extensive  as 
possible. 

On  motion  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Harris,  seconded  by  the  Right  Rev. 
Bishop  Hobart, 

Resolved,  That  the  thanks  of  this  Society  be  presented  to  the 
Board  of  Managers  for  the  zeal  and  prudence  with  which  they 
have  executed  the  trust  reposed  in  them. 

The  Society  then  proceeded  to  the  election  of  a  Board  of  Man- 
agers for  the  ensuing  year,  the  Rev.  Thomas  Lyell  and  Joshua 
Jones,  Esq.,  being  appointed  inspectors.  On  counting  the  ballots 
it  appeared  that  the  following  gentlemen  were  unanimously 
elected : 

Luther  Bradish,  President;  Floyd  Smith,  ist  Vice  President; 
Cornelius  R.  Duffie,  2d  Vice  President;  Henry  Barclay,  3d  Vice 
President;  William  E.  Dunscombe,  Corresponding  Secretary; 
J.  Smyth  Rogers,  Treasurer;  Thomas  N.  Stanford,  Agent. 

Managers : — Edward  N.  Cox,  John  Watts,  jun.,  Benjamin: 
Haight,  Charles  Nichols,  David  A.  Clarkson,  John  J.  Lambert^ 
William   Onderdonk,  jun.,   W^illiam   H.   Harison,   Peter  Kean,. 


1820]  Fourth  Auxiliary  Report.  153 

Lewis  Loutrel,  Samuel  W.  Moore,  Cornelius  S.  Bartow,  Gerard- 
us  A.  Cooper,  Charles  W.  Sanford,  Thomas  T.  Groshon,  Charles 
N.  S.  Rowland. 

Fourth  Auxiliary  Report. 

One  of  the  many  benefits  which  flow  from  the  annual  review 
of  our  united  operations,  is  the  evidence  presented  to  each  of  us 
individuals,  at  how  small  a  sacrifice  of  time  or  money  very  ex- 
tensive good  may  be  produced. 

This  Society  has  been  established  only  four  years,  and  in  that 
short  time,  without  interfering  with  individual  avocations,  with- 
out being  burdensome  to  individual  resources,  it  has  spread 
among  the  community  advantages  which  could  with  difficulty  be 
compassed  by  the  best  ability  and  zeal  confined  within  the  period 
of  an  individual  life. 

The  small  share  which  we  bear  in  this  work  respectively,  leaves 
no  room  for  self  gratulation :  yet  the  institution  which  our  com- 
mon efforts  have  raised,  may  well  call  forth  our  pride  and  our 
joy;  while  we  regard  not  merely  the  great  results  it  has  already 
effected,  but  the  steady  pursuit  promised  to  its  objects  from  the 
permanence  of  its  character. 

To  exhibit  a  statement  of  these  results  is  now  the  duty  of  the 
Board,  and  they  perform  it  in  the  assurance  that  the  members  of 
this  Society  will  believe  their  past  liberality  to  have  been  well 
dispensed,  and  knowing  how  much  remains  to  be  accomplished, 
will  still  "be  ready  to  give  and  glad  to  distribute." 

The  last  report  informed  you  that  by  the  operations  of  this 
Society  the  price  of  Prayer  Books  had  been  reduced  from  38  to 
30  cents  per  copy,  that  1,591  Bibles  and  12,287  Prayer  Books 
had  been  distributed,  that  we  were  the  owners  of  a  set  of  stereo- 
type plates  for  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  which  cost  $1,200, 
and  that  we  had  contracted  for  a  set  of  stereotype  plates  for  the 
Holy  Bible,  towards  the  payment  of  which  1,800  dollars  had 
been  subscribed. 

These  were  the  effects  produced  by  your  bounty  continued  to 
the  Managers  for  three  years. . 

Another  year  has  elapsed  during  which  we  have  distributed 
286  Bibles,  and  1,378  Prayer  Books,  making  a  total  of  15,542 
volumes,  placed  in  almost  as  many  needful  hands.  During  the 
past  year  also  the  plates  for  the  Bibles  have  been  completed,  and 


154  Fourth  Auxiliary  Report.  [1820 

the  cost  thereof,  $2,357.18,  has  been  paid.  The  Board  are  in 
advance,  however,  by  this  payment  about  350  dollars,  to  reim- 
burse which,  they  must  solicit  the  contributions  of  those  who 
have  not  yet  subscribed. 

These  plates,  which  are  admirably  executed,  and  highly  spoken 
of  by  judges,  are  in  the  hands  of  Messrs.  T.  and  J.  Swords,  with 
whom  the  Board  have  authorized  a  contract  to  be  made  for  pub- 
lishing an  edition  from  them.  An  arrangement  has  also  been 
made  with  Messrs.  Swords,  by  which  our  Depository  has  been 
removed  to  their  store,  No.  160  Pearl  street,  where  application 
must  be  made  for  the  Bibles  and  Prayer  Books  of  this  Society. 

The  Report  of  the  Agent  shows,  that  the  Bibles  and  Prayer 
Books  were  distributed  to  the  Sunday  Schools  of  this  city  and  its 
vicinity,  to  convicts  in  the  State  prison,  to  attendants  upon  the 
Mariners'  Church,  and  to  various  individuals  by  the  hands  of  the 
Managers.  Besides  these  a  large  proportion  was  sent  to  the 
northern  and  western  counties  of  this  State,  for  the  use  of  new 
and  remote  Churches,  to  the  New  England  States,  to  New  Jer- 
sey, Ohio,  Virginia,  North  Carolina,  and  the  Western  Terri- 
tories. 

The  Prayer  Books  furnished  to  the  Mariners'  Church  were 
very  cheerfully  granted  by  the  Board,  at  the  request  of  the 
Directors  of  that  institution,  who  have  expressed  to  us  the  earn- 
estness with  which  they  were  sought  for  by  seamen,  to  whom 
they  were  given  with  Bibles  and  Tracts  when  on  the  eve  of  going 
to  sea. 

The  Board  are  aware  that  some  explanation  is  necessary  to 
account  for  their  limited  distribution  during  the  past,  compared 
with  those  of  former  years.  Several  causes  have  tended  to  pro- 
duce this  effect.  The  unexampled  depression  of  the  mercantile 
community  affecting  the  resources  of  all  classes,  has  very  materi- 
ally interfered  with  the  collection  of  subscriptions  and  the  ability 
of  our  patrons.  The  prevalence  of  yellow  fever,  and  closing  of 
the  depository  at  the  most  active  season  of  the  year  were  not 
without  their  influences.  But  the  principal  cause  is  to  be  found 
in  the  necessity  the  Board  were  under  of  advancing  out  of  the 
Treasury  the  sum  before  mentioned  to  complete  the  payment  on 
the  Bible  plates,  by  which  so  much  money  was  diverted  from 
being  employed  in  the  ordinary  operations  of  the  Society.  The 
demand  for  books  continues  as  pressing  as  formerly,  and  we 


1820]  Fourth  Auxiliary  Report.  155 

cherish  the  hope  that  our  abiHty  to  meet  it  may  be  so  increased 
as  to  atone  for  the  past  disappointments  which  have  unavoidably 
occurred.* 

The  Report  of  the  Treasurer,  which  on  the  25th  of  January 
last  showed  a  balance  in  the  Treasury  of  one  hundred  and  twenty 
dollars  and  thirty-three  cents,  now  exhibits  a  deficiency  of  one 
hundred  and  eighty-four  dollars  and  fifty  cents. 

It  were  to  be  wished  that  besides  giving  the  aid  of  their  contri- 
butions the  members  of  the  Society  could  be  incited  to  increase 
the  means  of  its  usefulness  by  making  more  generally  known  its 
objects,  by  soliciting  co-operation,  by  communicating  such  in- 
formation as  they  may  acquire  as  to  this  most  advantageous  field 
for  its  benevolence,  by  distributing,  in  person,  among  proper 
objects,  the  quota  of  books  to  which  their  subscription  entitles 
them. 

Are  inducements  wanting  to  interest  ourselves  or  others  in 
thus  promoting  the  objects  for  which  we  are  associated?  They 
present  themselves  on  every  side.  We  speak  not  of  the  benefits 
which  flow  to  society  in  general  from  the  diffusion  and  practice 
of  the  best  system  of  morality  the  world  ever  knew.  We  address 
ourselves  to  Christians  and  therefore  assume  a  loftier  ground. 
We  remind  them  that  to  the  eye  unenlightened  by  religion  human 
life  presents  an  inexplicable  mystery.  To  spend  it  in  vice,  folly, 
or  weariness,  and  to  close  it  in  gloomy  insensibility,  in  trembling 
apprehension,  or  in  absolute  despair,  is  the  brief  history  of  multi- 
tudes of  our  race.  Ignorance  and  toil  seek  no  disclosure  of  the 
object  of  existence,  content  to  forget  or  alfeviate  its  ills.  Human 
reason  cannot  lift  the  veil  which  hangs  over  our  destiny.  Ex- 
tolled by  the  pride  of  false  philosophy,  and  confided  in  by  the 
inconsiderate  and  vain,  she  proves  herself  an  erring  and  deceit- 
ful guide,  whose  meteor  gleam  serves  first  to  bewilder  and  then 
to  blind.  The  grave  is  not  shrouded  in  gloom  more  profound 
than  that  which  rests  on  life's  brightest  paths  where  Revelation 
beams  not.  But  in  the  midst  of  this  darkness  the  Bible  is  opened 
and  immediately  a  great  light  shines  around  us.    The  Gospel  of 


I.  The  Board  have  been  under  the  necessity,  very  recently,  of  declining  a 
request  for  two  hundred  Prayer  Books,  made  through  the  Bishop,  for  the 
use  of  the  Expedition  fitted  out  by  the  Government  for  the  African  Coast, 
owing  to  the  want  of  funds. 


156  Fourth  Auxiliary  Report.  [1820 

Jesus  Christ  is  proclaimed,  and  all  mystery  and  doubt  have  van- 
ished. Every  part  of  the  conduct  of  life  rises  in  awful  import- 
ance, and  is  dignified  by  motives  and  sanctions  before  unknown. 
The  unthinking  and  unrepenting  are  warned  of  their  accountabil- 
ity. Rest,  hope  and  joy  are  promised  to  the  weary,  the  despond- 
ing and  the  wretched ;  while  visions  of  blessedness  and  peace 
sustain  the  spirits  of  departing  Christians. 

The  Bible,  which  thus  transforms  earthly  sorrows  into  celestial 
consolations  is  an  invaluable  blessing;  and  not  to  feel  deeply  the 
responsibility  of  its  diffusion  were  to  undervalue  the  message  of 
God,  and  the  mission  of  his  Son. 

The  well  meant  comforts  we  bestow  to  relieve  the  wants  of  a 
brief  life,  "perish  in  the  using" ;  yet  the  claims  of  earthly  wretch- 
edness ever  deserve  our  affectionate  and  soothing  regard.  To 
minister  to  spiritual  wants  is  a  sublimer  work,  the  fruits  of  which 
shall  endure  forever. 

The  extremity  of  worldly  misery  even  increases  the  obligation 
to  this  duty :  for  the  more  pitiable  the  sufferer  in  this  transitory 
scene,  the  more  earnestly  should  he  be  invited,  through  this  means 
of  grace,  to  seek  that  hope  of  glory,  in  the  view  of  which  suffer- 
ings, and  death  lose  their  power. 

The  Bible,  we  repeat,  is  an  inestimable  gift,  and  if  in  prosperity 
it  can  gild  even  our  best  enjoyments  with  the  sunshine  of  cheer- 
fulness, and  free  us  from  the  fearful  uncertainty  of  irreligion,  if 
in  adversity  it  can  pierce  the  darkest  clouds  and  disclose  to  us 
the  prospect  of  our  immortal  hopes,  if  at  all  times  it  can  irradiate 
our  hearts  with  that  peace  which  passeth  all  understanding;  can 
we  be  insensible  of  our  privileges,  or  just  to  our  obligations,  if 
we  are  slow  in  communicating  our  tidings  of  joy  ? 

But  our  duty  stops  not  here.  We  are  members  of  the  Church 
of  Christ.  In  its  communion  we  enjoy  doctrines,  worship,  sacra- 
ments, pure,  primitive,  scriptural,  and  proclaimed  and  dispensed 
by  orders  of  the  ministry,  derived  through  the  Apostles  from 
Christ  himself.  These  advantages  we  are  bound  to  impart  to 
those  who  have  not  received  them ;  and  to  confirm  those  who  but 
partially  possess  them.  The  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  in  which 
this  Church  is  set  forth,  is  therefore  a  fit  companion  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures.  In  this  belief  we  present  it  with  confidence  to  all  who 
wish  to  become  acquainted  with  the  Church  of  God,  desiring  them 
to  compare  it  with  his  sacred  volume,  and  fearless  of  the  result. 


1820]  Fourth  Auxiliary  Report.  157 

For  ourselves  as  Churchmen,  our  attachment  to  the  Prayer 
Book  is  deeply  fixed  in  the  feelings  it  has  inspired  from  the 
earliest  knowledge  of  its  contents ;  and  has  been  increased  by  the 
maturer  judgment  of  added  years. 

It  is  associated  in  our  recollection  with  the  devotions  of  the 
best  men  of  years  long  gone  by.  We  regard  it  not  only  as  the 
best  standard  but  the  safeguard  of  our  Christian  faith.  It  is  at 
once  the  incentive  and  the  guide  to  a  fervent,  rational,  and,  we 
trust,  an  acceptable  worship.  Its  unrivalled  strain  of  unaffected 
piety;  its  sublime,  yet  tender  eloquence,  have  power  to  touch  the 
heart  like  a  father's  last  blessing,  or  a  mother's  earliest  prayer. 
Next  to  the  Bible  in  our  esteem,  shall  not  it  accompany  the  Bible 
in  our  gift? 

The  cause  of  this  Society  has  claims  to  interest  our  best  feel- 
ings. We  are  incited  by  its  principles  of  conscious  duty.  We 
learn  the  approbation  and  blessing  of  those  whom  Grod  has  made 
overseers  of  the  Church,^ 

The  lay  efforts  rejoice  the  whole  heart  of  the  Christian  com- 
munity, and  have  called  forth  the  public  expression  of  the  most 
affectionate  regard  from  a  convention  whose  praise  is  worthy  of 
our  ambition.^ 

After  the  approbation  of  our  own  consciences,  of  our  own 
spiritual  guides,  of  the  Christian  Church,  can  we  have  higher 
inducements  to  awaken  our  zeal?  Yes!  the  approbation  of  him 
who  taught  us,  when  we  lift  up  our  daily  supplications  to  pray 
for  the  coming  of  his  Kingdom,  his  approbation  will  contribute 
the  best  motive  and  the  highest  reward  of  our  exertions. 


1.  See  particularly  a  Pastoral  Letter  to  the  Laity  of  the  Protestant  Episco- 
npal  Church  in  the  State  of  New  York,  on  the  subject  of  Bible  and  Common 
Prayer  Book  Societies.    By  the  Right  Rev,  Bishop  Hobart.     1815. 

2.  Extracts  from  the  Minutes  of  the  Convention  of  the  Protestant  Episco- 
pal Church  in  the  State  of  Rhode  Island,  held  at  Providence,  June,  1819: 

Resolved  unanimously,  that  this  Convention  do  entertain  for  the  Auxiliary 
New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  the  most  affectionate 
regard,  and  view  with  lively  gratitude  to  the  Supreme  Being,  the  benevolent 
exertions  of  the  said  Society  for  the  more  free  and  extensive  dissemination 
of  our  excellent  Liturgy  by  procuring  the  first  set  of  stereotype  plates  for 
the  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  whereby  the  price  of  that  formulary  of  public 
worship  has  been  so  reduced  that  the  poor  can  now  be  provided  therewith. 

Resolved  unanimously,  that  the  Secretary  of  this  Convention  do  communi- 
cate to  the  Corresponding  Secretary  of  that  Society  the  above  public  ex- 
pression of  our  sincere  and  Christian  friendship. 


168  The  Liberian  Colony.  [1820 


By  his  blessing  let  us  persevere,  until  all  within  our  influence, 
enlightened  by  the  knowledge  of  his  will,  shall  be  received  with 
us  into  the  ark  of  his  Church ;  that  "being  steadfast  in  faith,  joy- 
ful through  hope,  and  rooted  in  charity,  they  may  so  pass  the 
waves  of  this  troublesome  world  that  finally  they  may  come  to 
the  land  of  everlasting  life." 

Respectfully  submitted, 

Cornelius  R.  Duffie,  Chairman.^ 

In  further  explanation  of  the  incident  referred  to  in  the  note 
to  the  foregoing  Report,  it  may  be  said  that  the  Rev.  Thomas 
Thompson  resigned  his  Mission  at  Christ  Church,  Monmouth, 
New  Jersey,  in  1750,  with  the  evangelistic  zeal  of  spreading  the 
Gospel  on  the  West  Coast  of  Africa,  He  did  good  work  there 
for  many  years. 

In  1 791  Granville  Sharp,  William  Wilberforce,  and  other 
philanthropic  men  founded  Sierra  Leone,  with  the  idea  of  form- 
ing a  home  more  especially  for  the  Negroes  who  had  remained 
loyal  to  the  British  Crown.  A  Society  for  the  organization  of 
free  Negroes  on  the  West  Coast  of  Africa  was  organized  in 
Washington,  December  21,  181 6,  and  Mr.  Samuel  1.  Mills  and 
Mr.  Ebenezer  Burgess  were  sent  by  this  Society  to  explore  the 
country  and  determine,  if  possible,  upon  a  suitable  site.  As  a 
result  of  their  report  the  Society  founded  Liberia.  In  18 19 
President  Monroe  sent  a  ship  to  establish  a  Colony  in  Africa, 
and  the  Colonization  Society  joined  hands  in  this  effort.  The 
bark  "Elizabeth"  was  chartered  by  the  United  States,  who  ap- 
pointed as  its  agents  the  Rev.  Samuel  Bacon  and  the  Rev.  John 
P.  Bankson,  and  the  Society  appointed  Dr.  Samuel  A.  Crozer. 

The  Rev.  Samuel  Bacon,  while  the  ship  was  waiting  at  the 
foot  of  Rector  Street  to  receive  its  cargo,  wrote  these  letters  to 
Bishop  Hobart: 

New  York,  20  Jan.  1820. 
Right  Rev.  Sir, 

Being  now  in  such  a  state  of  readiness  as  to  be  able  to  say  we 
shall  doubtless  sail  in  6  or  8  days,  and  being  desirous  to  carry 
with  us  a  supply  of  Prayer  Books  both  for  the  use  of  the 
Church  we  have  a  prospect  of  forming  amongst  ourselves,  and 
for  those  who  may  be  reclaimed  from  heathen  idolatry    (for 

I.    The  Christian  Journal,  February,  1820,  pp.  53,  54,  55,  56,  57. 


1820]  Letter  from  Rev.  S.  Bacon.  159 

which  purpose  we  pray  God  to  bless  our  labours),  I  take  the 
liberty  of  requesting  the  Prayer  Book  Society,  through  you,  to 
make  us  a  donation  of  150  or  if  convenient  200  Prayer  Books. 
There  are  about  12  native  Chiefs,  Kings  or  Headmen  on  that 
part  of  the  coast  of  Africa  to  which  our  attention  is  directed, 
whose  friendship  we  wish  to  conciliate  and  for  whose  religious 
instruction  we  shall  feel  anxious,  two  or  three  of  whom  were 
educated  in  England  and  can  read  and  speak,  and  I  believe 
write  the  English  language,  to  all  of  whom  I  wish  it  to  be  in  my 
power  to  present  Prayer  Books.  If  therefore  it  be  possible,  I 
beg  you  to  procure  from  that  Society  about  one  dozen  Prayer 
Books,  of  larger  size,  and  superior  binding  than  those  in  the  most 
common  use.  We  shall  also  be  obliged  by  any  advice  you  may 
think  proper  to  impart  to  us  as  well  as  for  any  countenance 
and  encouragement  you  may  give  us  now  or  at  any  future  op- 
portunity. So  far  as  our  Church  is  interested  in  this  great 
undertaking  we  think  we  may  calculate  on  your  zealous  co- 
operation. Should  this  request  be  complied  with,  any  com- 
munication relative  to  it  may  find  me  at  6  Garden  Street  near 
the  Post  Office,  or  at  No.  325  Bowery.  I  would  gladly  call  and 
make  a  personal  request,  but  felt  doubtful  whether  your  multi- 
plied engagements  would  enable  you  to  see  me. 
I  have  the  honour  to  be 

Your  obt.  humble  servt. 

S.  Bacon. 

N.  York,  27  Jan.  1820. 
Right  Rev.  Sir, 

I  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  a  package  of  small  Prayer 
Books  (not  marked  as  to  quantity)  and  one  dozen  of  extra 
Prayer  Books  for  the  African  expedition.  This  last  donation 
I  have  been  informed  is  from  yourself.  To  those  gentlemen 
who  have  thus  contributed  for  our  supply,  I  beg  leave,  through 
you,  to  tender  our  united  thanks.  In  the  name  of  those  chiefs 
for  whom  the  extra  books  are  intended,  I  beg  you  to  accept  my 
acknowledgements.  As  these  donations  will  probably  excite  re- 
plies on  their  parts  and  a  request  from  them  to  be  instructed 
in  their  contents,  I  shall  take  care  to  make  a  proper  report  of  the 
same,  if  of  sufficient  importance;  and  shall  take  the  liberty  of 
saying  that  the  Church  whose  Bishop  has  thus  presented  them 


160  The  Western  District  Society.  [1820 

with  books  will  doubtless  feel  interested  in  sending  them  Gospel 
Preachers  too. 

With  respect  I  am, 

Your  obt.  servt. 

Samuel  Bacon. 

The  bark  sailed  February  6,  1820,  with  eighty-nine  emigrants 
and  a  large  quantity  of  tools,  supplies  and  stores,  conveyed  by 
the  United  States  Sloop  of  War  "Cyane."  The  location  selected 
proved  unhealthy,  the  three  agents  and  many  of  the  Colonists 
died.  The  dispirited  remnant 'were  finally  rescued  by  the  United 
States  Ship  "Alligator"  in  1821. 

The  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  of  the  Western 
District  had  for  some  years  previous  to  1820  been  in  existence, 
but  without  arousing  the  enthusiasm  or  devotion  of  many  of  its 
members.  At  its  annual  meeting  in  Trinity  Church  on  Wednes- 
day, June  21,  1820,  at  which  a  sermon  was  preached  by  the  Rev. 
Hugh  Smith,  Rector,  a  special  appeal  for  larger  appreciation  of 
its  work  was  made.  Though  hitherto  little  known  this  Society 
has  existed  for  several  years,  during  which  time  it  has  been 
silently  scattering  its  blessings  in  every  part  of  this  extensive 
district;  its  object  is  such  as  must  approve  itself  to  the  hearts  of 
every  sincere,  enlightened  Christian,  and  command  the  zeal,  the 
prayers  and  efficient  support  of  every  conscientious  Episcopalian. 

At  the  meeting  it  elected  the  Bishop,  ex  officio,  President ;  the 
Rev.  Amos  Purdee  and  Samuel  Colt,  Vice  Presidents;  the  Rev. 
Orin  Clark,  Corresponding  Secretary;  the  Rev.  William  Barlow, 
Recording  Secretary,  and  the  Rev.  John  C.  Spencer,  Treasurer. 

It  was  soon  after  this  annual  meeting  that  clergymen  and  lay- 
men of  the  central  part  of  the  State  determined  that  a  new  So- 
ciety would  be  expedient. 

These  extracts  from  a  circular  letter  of  Judge  Miller  of  Utica 
show  the  energy  with  which  the  new  enterprise  began : 

Utica,  28th  July,  1820. 
Dear  Sir, 

On  the  i8th  of  this  month  at  the  Episcopal  Church  in  Manlius 
a  Society  was  formed  having  for  its  object  the  gratuitous  distri- 
bution of  the  Bible  and  Book  of  Common  Prayer.    This  Society 


1821]  Fifth  Auxiliary  Report.  161 

comprises  within  its  limits  the  counties  of  Oneida,  Madison, 
Onondaga  and  Cayuga.  Before  this  letter  reaches  you,  you  will 
no  doubt  have  received  an  official  notice  of  your  appointment  as 
of  the  Society.  A  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Officers 
is  expected  at  the  Episcopal  Church  in  Onondaga  on  Wednes- 
day, the  13th  September,  at  ten  o'clock  in  the  forenoon  of  that 
<iay.  The  friends  of  the  Society  look  with  confidence  for  the 
prompt  and  vigorous  efforts  of  every  member  of  the  Board  of 
Officers,  and  you  will  no  doubt  agree  in  the  opinion  that  the 
respectability  and  usefulness  of  the  Society  may,  in  no  small 
•degree,  depend  on  the  zeal  and  exertions  of  those  to  whom  its 
affairs  have  been  confided  for  the  present  year.  Permit  me, 
therefore,  most  earnestly  to  request  your  attendance  at  Onondaga 

on  the  1 3th  Sept On  the  question  of  ways  and  means, 

it  is  to  be  observed  that  the  Society  has  no  funds,  except  its  pro- 
portion of  the  funds  of  the  Western  District  Society,  which  are 

to  be  distributed  among  the  Auxiliary  Societies 

I  am,  Sir,  respectfully,  your  friend  &  Obt.  Servt, 

M.  S.  Miller.^ 

The  Bishop  makes  this  allusion  to  it  in  his  convention  address : 
**The  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Societies  continue  to  be 
instrumental  of  much  good,  by  the  distribution  of  the  Word  of 
God,  and  of  that  invaluable  digest  of  its  sacred  truths  and  best 
comment  upon  them,  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer.  A  new 
Society  for  these  purposes  has  been  recently  organized  in  the 
Western  District,  in  which  distinguished  laymen  unite  with  the 
clergy  in  zealous  attention  to  its  concerns."* 

The  same  activity  and  energy  as  in  the  central  part  of  the  State 
is  shown  in  the  recorded  proceedings  of  the  Auxiliary  Society 
and  these  portions  of  their  Annual  Report  for  182 1. 

Fifth  Auxiliary  Report. 

By  referring  to  the  last  report  of  the  Board  of  Managers,  you 
-will  observe  that  when  the  affairs  of  the  Society  were  committed 
by  you  to  our  management,  the  Society  was  possessed  of  a  set  of 
stereotype  plates  of  the  Holy  Bible,  and  another  of  the  Book  of 
Common  Prayer,  which  together  cost  upwards  of  three  thousand 

1.  Hobart  MSS.,  General  Convention  Archives. 

2.  Address  of  Bishop  Hobart  to  Convention  of  1820,  quoted  on  pp.  10,  11, 
The  Christian  Journal,  January,  1821.    Volume  V.  No.  i. 

(II) 


162  Fifth  Auxiliary  Report.  [1821 

five  hundred  and  fifty  dollars :  the  former  of  which  was  then  but 
just  completed,  and  the  latter  had  been  possessed  and  used  by  the 
Society  for  several  years,  and  had  enabled  it  to  afford  the  Book 
of  Common  Prayer  at  a  very  reduced  price.  The  set  of  stereo- 
type plates  of  the  Bible  are  of  a  duodecimo  size — they  were  exe- 
cuted after  a  pattern  copy  which  was  published  by  the  British 
and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  and  which  was  obligingly  lent  for  the 
purpose  by  the  Agent  of  the  American  Bible  Society.  The  plates 
are  believed  to  be  remarkably  free  from  errors,  and  the  type  is 
clear  and  distinct.    A  sample  page  is  annexed  to  this  report. 

Stereotype,  besides  enabling  books  to  be  published  at  much  less 
cost,  has  had  the  effect  of  making  them  very  correct.  The 
Prayer  Books  published  by  this  Society  are  distinguished  in  this 
respect — only  two  errata,  and  those  but  trivial,  have  ever  been 
discovered  in  them. 

When  the  Society  was  first  formed,  the  price  which  it  had  ta 
pay  for  Prayer  Books  was  forty-seven  and  a  half  cents,  and  the 
same  books  were  sold  at  seventy-five  cents  for  a  single  copy.  By 
a  condition  in  the  contract  for  printing  the  Prayer  Books  from 
the  plates  of  the  Society,  subsequently  entered  into  with  the  pub- 
lishers, they  are  obligated  to  sell  Prayer  Books  for  distribution  nt 
thirty  cents  per  copy.  A  neat,  full  bound,  and  most  correct  copy 
of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  with  the  whole  of  the  offices  and 
the  ordinances  of  the  Church,  containing  upwards  of  four  hun- 
dred close  printed  pages,  can  thus  be  purchased,  in  quantities  by 
Societies  and  others  for  gratuitous  distribution,  for  the  small  sum 
of  thirty  cents.  The  price  of  the  Book  being  thus  reduced,  it  is 
placed  within  the  reach  of  almost  every  person,  and  a  public 
benefit  has  been  derived  from  the  labours  of  your  Board  of  Man- 
agers, and  from  your  munificence,  which  we  believe  to  be  alone 
an  object  for  the  formation  of  the  association,  and  worth  the 
contributions  of  its  members. 

But  this  is  not  all.  Besides  rendering  this  service  to  the  public 
at  large,  upwards  of  seven  thousand  books  have  been  gratuitously 
distributed  by  the  Society,  and,  assisted  by  the  liberal  benefac- 
tions of  several  of  your  number,  a  former  Board  of  Managers 
were  enabled  to  purchase  the  set  of  stereotype  plates  of  the  Bible, 
which  we  have  mentioned  to  have  received  into  our  charge. 

We  found  at  the  time  of  our  appointment  a  demand  upon  the 
Treasury  amounting  to  three  hundred  and  two  dollars  and  sixty- 
eight  cents:  and  the  amount  of  arrears  of  annual  subscriptions 


1821]  Fifth  Auxiliary  Report.  163 

due  to  the  Society  was,  at  the  same  time,  about  two  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars. 

Since  the  last  anniversary  of  this  Society,  twelve  hundred  and 
eighty  Prayer  Books  have  been  issued  from  its  Depository;  of 
which  number  seven  hundred  and  thirty  were  sold  to  other  asso- 
ciations, having  the  same  object ;  and  five  hundred  and  fifty  were 
gratuitously  distributed  in  the  following  manner : 

Fifty  were  given  (in  compliance  with  the  condition  of  a  dona- 
tion of  a  benevolent  person),  to  the  people  who  went  to  settle  on 
the  coast  of  Africa;  about  fifty  were  delivered  to  members  and 
subscribers  of  the  Society,  to  be  distributed  by  them;  and  the 
remainder,  excepting  a  few  which  were  sent  away,  were  divided 
amongst  the  several  Sunday  Schools,  public  institutions,  and 
charitable  associations  of  our  city.  One  hundred  and  thirty 
Bibles  have  been  purchased  for,  and  sent  to  the  Newbern,  in 
North  Carolina,  Bible  Society.  The  whole  number  of  books 
which  have  been  delivered  out  of  the  Depository  of  the  Society 
since  its  formation,  is  two  thousand  seven  hundred  and  fourteen 
Bibles,  and  fourteen  thousand  nine  hundred  and  forty-five  Prayer 
Books. 

The  Treasurer  has  received  eight  hundred  and  forty-three  dol- 
lars and  seventy-three  cents.  Of  this  the  sum  of  one  hundred  and 
fifty-one  dollars  and  eighteen  cents,  being  the  receipt  of  two 
concerts  given  by  a  select  choir,  for  the  benefit  of  the  Society, 
has  come  into  his  hands  within  a  very  few  days;  and,  together 
with  the  sum  of  forty-eight  dollars  and  twenty-two  cents  (mak- 
ing together  one  hundred  and  ninety-nine  dollars  and  forty 
cents),  still  remains  in  the  Treasury,  subject  to  your  disposition. 
Two  hundred  and  one  dollars  and  ninety-eight  cents  were  col- 
lected in  St.  Paul's  Chapel  on  the  evening  of  the  second  of  Feb- 
ruary; two  hundred  and  sixty-four  dollars  have  been  collected 
by  the  members  and  subscribers;  thirty-six  dollars  and  thirty- 
eight  cents  is  the  amount  of  three  donations,  one  of  which  was 
for  the  purpose  of  furnishing  the  settlers  on  the  coats  of  Africa 
with  Prayer  Books,  as  we  have  before  mentioned;  and  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty-nine  dollars  and  sixty-nine  cents  were  in  the  Treas- 
ury on  the  last  Anniversary. 

The  demand  of  three  hundred  and  two  dollars  and  sixty-eight 
cents  existing  against  the  Society  last  year  has  been  liquidated; 
one  hundred  and  sixty-five  dollars  have  been  paid  for  Prayer 


164  Eleventh  Annual  Report.  [1821 

Bcx>ks ;  and  one  hundred  and  six  dollars  and  nine  cents  have  been 
paid  for  insurance  of  the  Stereotype  plates,  expenses  of  the  Anni- 
versary, and  of  printing  the  Annual  Report,  and  the  ordinary 
expenses  of  the  Society/ 

At  the  annual  meeting  held  in  Trinity  Church,  on  February  27, 
1 82 1,  the  Secretary  laid  before  the  meeting  the  following  extract 
from  the  minutes  of  the  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Managers,  held 
on  the  2ist  inst. : 

On  motion,  resolved  unanimously,  that  if  the  constitutional 
majority  of  the  Society  accede  thereto,  the  word  "and"  between 
the  words  "Secretary"  and  "Treasurer,"  in  the  third  article  of 
the  constitution,  be  erased  and  the  words  "and  Agent"  be  inserted 
after  the  word  "Treasurer,"  in  the  said  article. 

On  motion,  resolved  unanimously,  that  this  meeting  accede  to 
the  alteration  in  the  constitution  proposed  by  the  Board  of  Man- 
agers. 

The  minutes  of  the  parent  Society  show  a  desire  to  make  their 
organization  more  perfect  and  thus  increase  its  efficiency. 

Eleventh  Annual  Report. 

Twelve  years  have  now  elapsed  since  the  establishment  of  the 
New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  the  first 
institution  in  this  city  which  had  for  its  declared  object  the  gratui- 
tous distribution  of  the  Holy  Scriptures.  During  the  period  of 
its  operations  it  has  been  so  far  blessed  as  to  be  enabled  to  raise 
a  permanent  fund  of  $5,295.35  cents,  to  obtain  a  set  of  8vo. 
stereotype  plates  for  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  and  to  ex- 
pend, in  procuring  Bibles  and  Prayer  Books  for  distribution, 
nearly  $4,000. 

The  result  has  been  the  circulation,  through  the  medium  of 
this  Society,  of  2,966  Bibles,  500  New  Testaments,  and  5,485 
Prayer  Books,  making  an  aggregate  of  8,95 1  volumes. 

Of  the  above,  252  Bibles,  and  630  Prayer  Books,  have  been 
gratuitously  distributed,  and  loi  8vo.  Prayer  Books,  from  our 
stereotype  plates,  given  to  members  and  donors,  on  the  terms  of 
the  Society,  since  its  last  meeting. 


I.    The  Fifth  Annual  Report  of  the  Managers  of  the  Auxiliary  New  York 
Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society. 


1821]  Eleventh  Annual  Report.  166 

Our  operations,  during  the  past  year,  have  been  much  facili- 
tated through  the  instrumentality  of  the  office  of  Agent,  recently 
established  by  the  Board,  and  the  very  faithful  discharge  of  its 
functions  by  the  present  incumbent. 

The  sum  of  $250  has  been  appropriated  by  the  Board  to  the 
purchase  of  Bibles,  and  the  like  sum  for  that  of  Prayer  Books, 
for  gratuitous  distribution,  the  ensuing  year. 

The  operations  of  the  Society,  in  consequence  of  the  urgent 
and  perpetually  increasing  wants  of  our  own  diocese,  have  been 
almost  exclusively  confined  within  its  bounds.  The  Managers 
would  have  rejoiced  at  ability  to  extend  them  more  widely,  but 
have  found  themselves  incapable  of  even  approximating  to  the 
full  supply  of  the  necessities  at  home.  They  regret  that  such 
should  have  been  the  state  of  things  in  the  largest,  wealthiest, 
and  most  flourishing  diocese  in  the  Union.  They  would  respect- 
fully, but  most  earnestly  urge  upon  their  brother  Churchmen — 
and  hope  to  be  not  wanting  in  their  own  attention  to  it— the 
Christian  obligation  which  lies  upon  so  highly  favoured  a  sec- 
tion of  the  Church,  to  employ  the  ability  entrusted  to  it  by  a 
bountiful  Providence,  not  only  to  the  care  of  its  own  children, 
but,  also,  to  the  extending  of  its  aid  to  dioceses  from  which  God's 
mere  goodness  has  made  us  to  differ  in  the  possession  of  means 
for  advancing  the  cause  of  Christ. 

With  these  feelings,  however,  we  would  mingle — and  call  upon 
our  fellow-members  to  add  theirs — emotions  of  lively  gratitude 
to  him  from  whom  cometh  every  good  and  perfect  gift,  for  what 
he  has  enabled  us  to  do.  The  circulation  of  nearly  9,000  copies 
of  the  Scriptures,  and  of  a  Liturgy  carrying  to  the  heart,  in  every 
variety  of  rnost  interesting  and  impressive  form,  their  divine  doc- 
trines and  precepts,  cannot  have  been  without  effect.  The  bless- 
ing of  God  has  gone  forth  with  them.  His  grace  has  awakened 
attention  to  their  sacred  contents — has  brought  them  home  to  the 
heart — has  thus  blessed  them  to  the  conversion  of  the  sinner,  to 
the  comforting  of  the  penitent,  to  the  confirming  of  the  faithful, 
to  the  reclaiming  of  the  wandering,  to  the  encouragement  of  the 
striving,  to  the  consolation  of  the  sick  and  afflicted,  to  the  sup- 
port of  the  dying,  and,  perhaps,  to  the  furnishing  of  the  departed 
soul  with  its  first  hallelujah,  when  delivered  from  the  prison  of 
the  body. 

In  the  enlargement  and  increasing  prosperity  of  the  Church  in 


166  Eleventh  Annual  Report.  [1821 

this  diocese,  we  see  cause  to  cherish  the  humble  hope,  that  these 
effects  may  have  been  produced  to  no  very  inconsiderable  extent. 
In  the  year  1809,  in  which  this  Society  was  formed,  there  were, 
in  this  State,  but  42  clergymen  of  our  Church.  There  are  now 
78.  The  number  of  congregations  has  increased  in  about  the 
same  proportion.  To  this  encouraging  state  of  things,  although 
we  delight  to  perceive  in  it  the  Divine  blessing  upon  a  well  regu- 
lated system  of  ecclesiastical  concerns,  and  upon  Episcopal  and 
pastoral  fidelity,  we  may,  also,  humbly  hope  that  our  Society  has 
been  not  a  little  conducive.  It  gives  us  great  pleasure,  indeed,  to 
acknowledge  as  powerful,  and,  in  some  instances,  more  effectual 
auxiliaries,  those  sister  establishments  of  our  Church,  in  various 
parts  of  the  diocese,  which  have  for  their  objects  this  same  good 
work  of  circulating  the  Bible  and  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer 
— the  support  of  missionaries — ^and  the  distribution  of  religious 
tracts.  And  it  now  gives  us  the  highest  satisfaction  to  hail,  as 
an  enterprise  surpassing  them  all  in  magnitude  of  importance, 
and  in  probable  extent  of  beneficial  influence,  the  measures  com- 
menced at  our  last  convention,  and  prosecuting,  under  the  aus- 
pices of  managers  appointed  by  that  body,  for  affording  the 
means  of  securing,  by  competent  provision  of  their  education,  a 
pious,  orthodox,  and  learned  clergy.  \  When  we  consider  the 
order  set  forth  in  the  Word  of  God,  as  that  by  which  he  designs 
the  blessings  of  the  Gospel  to  be  disseminated  and  preserved 
among  men,  we  cannot  but  regard  the  various  and  momentous 
functions  of  the  ministry  of  his  Church,  as  most  intimately  con- 
nected with  the  interests  of  evangelical  piety,  with  regard  both 
to  the  sanctification  and  salvation  of  the  individuals,  and  to  its 
benign  influence  on  communities.  Hence  the  state  of  religion, 
and  its  practical  influence,  have  ever  been  graduated  by  the  char- 
acter and  abilities  of  the  clergy.  In  this  noble  institution,  there- 
fore, we  see  an  effort  for  an  advancement  of  the  Redeemer's 
cause,  which  we  all  should  most  heartily  bid  God  speed ;  and  the 
interests  of  which,  we  should  all,  according  to  our  respective 
ability  and  opportunity,  endeavour  to  be  God's  honoured  instru- 
ments of  promoting.  This  will  be  perfectly  consistent  with  the 
continuance,  and  even  increase  of  our  exertions  in  behalf  of  those 
other  excellent  institutions,  by  which  our  Church  aims,  though, 

I.    The  reference  is  to  The  New  York  Theological  Education  Society. 


1822]  Sixth  Auxiliary  Report.  107 

indeed,  in  an  humbler  sphere,  at  the  furtherance  of  the  same  great 
object — the  spiritual  and  eternal  welfare  of  the  sons  of  men. 

When  we  contemplate  the  resources  of  this  diocese,  possessing 
upwards  of  120  congregations,  and  these  including  no  inconsid- 
erable share  of  the  wealth  of  our  State,  and  then  suppose  that 
deep  influence  of  religious  affection,  which  its  everlasting 
moment  deserves,  our  minds,  at  once,  form  the  idea  of  a  magni- 
tude of  exertion  in  the  various  methods  for  advancing  the  inter- 
ests of  religion  and  the  Church,  commensurate  to  the  just  ex- 
pectations which  should  be  entertained,  of  a  diocese  so  peculiarly 
favoured  with  means  and  facilities.  May  God  put  it  into  the 
hearts  of  those  whom  he  has  blessed  with  this  world's  goods,  to 
consecrate  a  liberal  share  of  them  to  the  glory  of  the  all-bounteous 
Giver.  Gratitude  to  him  demands  this  offering.  His  promised 
tlessing  urges  to  it.  His  Church  asks  it,  as  a  return  of  temporal 
for  spiritual  things;  and  as  furnishing  her  with  the  means  of 
accomplishing  the  blessed  and  eternally  momentous  objects  for 
which  she  was  established. 

Signed  by  order  of  the  Board. 

Matthew  Clarkson,  Chairman  pro  tem. 
Benjamin  T.  Onderdonk,  Secretary. 

New  York,  Feb.  21,  1821.^ 

During  the  year  no  special  events  in  connection  with  the  work 
of  circulating  the  Prayer  Book  occurred. 

It  was,  however,  an  important  year  in  the  annals  of  the  Ameri- 
can Church,  for  it  saw  the  General  Theological  Seminary  perma- 
nently established  in  the  city  of  New  York,  and  the  perfected 
organization  of  the  Domestic  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society. 

The  publication  of  the  stereotype  Bible  by  the  Auxiliary  So- 
ciety disproved  the  charge  of  indifference  to  the  circulation  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures.  Copies  of  the  first  impression  do  not  seem  now 
to  be  in  any  collection. 

Sixth  Auxiliary  Report. 

The  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and 
Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  in  presenting  to  their  constituents 
the  Sixth  Annual  Report  of  the  transactions  of  the  Society,  regret 

I.    The  Christian  Journal,  May,  1821.    Volume  V.,  No.  5,  pp.  142,  143,  144, 


168  Sixth  Auxiliary  Report.  [1822 


to  observe  that  the  pressure  of  the  times,  and  the  numerous  and 
urgent  demands  upon  Christian  charity,  have  tended  to  restrict^ 
in  no  ordinary  degree,  the  labours  and  usefulness  of  our  institu- 
tion. 

Immediately  after  the  last  anniversary,  your  Board  of  Mana- 
gers printed  an  edition  of  one  thousand  copies  of  the  Bible,  from 
the  new  stereotype  plates  of  the  Society.  Of  these  a  large  num- 
ber was  due  to  subscribers  and  members  on  account  of  their 
annual  subscriptions;  and  one  hundred  and  twenty  copies  were 
forwarded  to  the  Society  for  the  Advancement  of  Christianity  in 
South  Carolina,  in  payment  of  one  hundred  dollars  advanced  by 
them  to  us  in  the  year  1820,  towards  the  completion  of  the  stereo- 
type plates.  The  receipt  of  these  has  been  acknowledged  by  that 
Society,  with  an  expression  of  their  satisfaction  in  having  aided 
us  in  the  production  of  so  beautiful  and  correct  a  copy  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures.  Of  the  residue  of  the  edition,  a  proportion  has 
been  sold  to  Societies  and  individuals  for  gratuitous  distribution, 
the  finances  of  the  Society  not  authorizing  the  Board  to  indulge 
their  feelings  by  yielding  to  any  of  the  many  urgent  applications 
for  donations  of  the  sacred  volume. 

One  hundred  and  six  Prayer  Books  have  also  been  delivered 
from  the  Depository  of  the  Society,  to  members  and  subscribers 
since  the  last  anniversary;  and,  during  the  same  period,  sixteen 
hundred  and  seventy-four  copies  have  been  sold  to  Societies  and 
charitable  individuals  for  gratuitous  distribution. 

These,  with  the  former  sales  and  distributions  of  the  Society, 
make  an  aggregate  of  three  thousand  and  twenty-six  Bibles,  and 
sixteen  thousand  nine  hundred  and  twenty-five  Prayer  Books, 
which  have  issued  from  our  Depository  since  the  formation  of 
the  institution  in  the  year  18 16. 

We  still  continue  to  sell  the  Prayer  Book  to  those  who  pur- 
chase for  gratuitous  distribution,  at  thirty  cents  per  copy;  and 
we  have  fixed  the  price  of  the  Bible,  bound  in  a  durable  and 
handsome  manner,  at  eighty-five  cents,  which  is  considered  to  be 
cheaper  than  any  other  edition  of  the  Bible  ever  published  in  this 
country. 

At  the  last  anniversary  meeting  of  the  Society  its  bye-laws 
were  so  amended  as  to  provide  for  the  establishment  of  a  perma- 
nent fund,  by  the  appropriation  of  such  sums  as  should  be  there- 
after received  for  life  subscriptions  to  the  Society.     The  suhk 


1822]  Sixth  Auxiliary  Report.  169 

required  to  constitute  a  member  or  subscriber  for  life,  was  fixed 
at  twenty-five  dollars,  and  the  amount  received  for  such  subscrip- 
tions is  directed  to  be  invested  in  such  manner  as  to  produce  an 
annual  income  to  the  funds  of  the  Society.  Under  this  regulation 
the  sum  of  two  hundred  dollars  has  been  since  subscribed,  and, 
for  the  present,  has  been  deposited  in  the  Savings  Bank.  The 
Board  of  Managers  fondly  hope  that  many  of  the  members  and 
subscribers  of  the  Society  will  be  induced  to  add  to  this  fund,  so 
auspiciously  commenced,  and  thus  ensure  the  future  usefulness 
and  stability  of  our  institution. 

In  addition  to  the  above  amount  of  life  subscriptions,  the  re- 
ceipts of  the  Society  for  the  past  year,  together  with  the  balance 
in  the  Treasury  at  the  last  anniversary,  amount  to  the  sum  of 
six  hundred  and  sixty-five  dollars  and  three  cents.  Of  this  sum, 
ninety-five  dollars  and  fifty  cents  were  collected  in  Trinity  Church 
on  the  evening  of  the  i8th  of  February  last,  when  the  Anniver- 
sary sermon,  for  the  benefit  of  the  Society,  was  delivered  by  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Feltus ;  thirty-two  dollars  and  twelve  cents,  the  balance 
of  the  proceeds  of  the  Concert  in  Grace  Church,  and  the  sum  of 
three  hundred  and  thirty-eight  dollars  has  been  received  from 
subscribers  and  members. 

The  payments  of  the  Treasurer  for  the  same  period  amount  to 
the  sum  of  six  hundred  dollars  and  fifty-nine  cents,  chiefly  for 
paper,  printing,  and  binding,  leaving  a  balance  in  the  Treasury 
of  sixty-four  dollars  and  forty-four  cents. 

The  Society  is,  at  the  same  time,  indebted  to  its  printers  in  the 
sum  of  one  hundred  and  seventy-eight  dollars,  and  there  are  some 
small  outstanding  bills  for  contingent  expenses,  to  the  amount  of 
twenty-five  or  thirty  dollars. 

Under  these  circumstances,  with  an  exhausted  treasury,  and  a 
diminished  subscription  list,  your  Board  of  Managers  would 
almost  despair  of  being  enabled  to  resume  those  active  and  benefi- 
cent labours  which  have  heretofore,  with  the  blessing  of  Heaven, 
shed  the  light  of  the  Gospel,  and  the  purity  of  Christian  worship, 
on  the  remotest  borders  of  our  land.  But  this  despair  in  our 
hallowed  cause  is  forbidden  by  the  Master  whom  we  serve;  and 
animated  by  His  promises  of  assistance,  we  will  endeavour  to 
arouse  your  minds  to  the  importance  of  our  cause,  and  stimulate 
you  to  renewed  exertions. 

*  *  *  ♦  *  *  «* 


170  Twelfth  Annual  Report.  [1822 

We  have  been  solicited  to  distribute  the  Liturgy  of  our  Church 
among  Episcopalians  in  our  distant  settlements,  who,  deprived 
of  the  ministrations  of  the  Gospel,  and  far  removed  from  the 
Sanctuaries  where  their  fathers  worshipped,  are  forgetting  the 
discipline  and  faith  of  the  Church  in  which  they  were  trained  to 
the  knowledge  of  grace  and  salvation.  The  limited  Missionary 
establishment  of  our  Church  is  insufficient  to  supply  the  wants  of 
the  rapidly  increasing  population  of  the  west,  and  many,  who, 
with  the  Liturgy  in  their  hands,  would  adhere  to  the  worship 
which  we  venerate,  wanting  even  this  support  to  their  principles, 
soon  fall  into  the  ways  of  irreligion  and  vice/ 

At  the  meeting  of  February  6,  1822,  the  sum  of  $600  was 
appropriated  for  the  coming  year  for  the  purchase  of  Bibles  and 
Prayer  Books.  At  the  annual  meeting,  February  26,  1822,  the 
report  was  read  and  adopted  and  the  following  Managers  elected : 

Matthew  Clarkson,  John  Onderdonk,  John  Slidell,  Henry 
Rogers,  George  Dominick,  Gulian  Ludlow,  Isaac  Carow,  Rich- 
ard Whiley,  Henry  McFarlan,  Richard  Piatt.     (Folio  104.) 

Twelfth  Annual  Report. 

Twelfth  Annual  Report  of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  New 
York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  read  at  a  Meet- 
ing of  the  Society  in  Trinity  Church,  New  York,  on  Tuesday, 
February  26,  1822. 

So  lately  as  the  commencement  of  the  present  century,  it  is 
believed  there  was  not  in  this  diocese,  or  any  part  of  our  country, 
a  voluntary  association  of  individuals,  formed  on  a  permanent 
basis,  for  the  purpose  of  aiding  the  Church  in  promoting  the 
g^eat  interests  of  the  Gospel.  This  seems  the  more  surprising, 
as  the  experience  of  the  Mother  Church  of  England  had,  for 
more  than  a  century,  exhibited  the  extensively  beneficial  influ- 
ence which  might  thus  be  exercised.  The  venerable  Societies  for 
Promoting  Christian  Knowledge,  and  for  Propagating  the  Gros- 
pel  in  Foreign  Parts  had  during  that  period  been  her  most  pow- 
erful auxiliaries,  not  only  in  advancing  her  interests  and  the 
spiritual  welfare  of  her  children  at  home,  but  also  in  carrying  to 

I.  The  Sixth  Annual  Report  of  the  Managers  of  the  Auxiliary  New  York 
Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society. 


1822]  Twelfth  Annual  Report.  17| 

far  distant  lands,  and  among  them  to  our  own,  the  inestimable 
benefits  of  her  communion. 

The  Convention  of  this  diocese  had,  indeed,  in  the  year  1796 
organized  a  Board  under  the  title  of  the  Committee  of  the  Prot- 
estant Episcopal  Church,  for  propagating  the  Gospel  in  the  State 
of  New  York;  and  from  that  time  this  Committee  has  had  in 
charge  the  disposal  of  the  sums  collected  in  the  several  parishes 
for  the  support  of  Missionaries. 

In  1802  the  Corporation  of  Trinity  Church  in  this  city,  vested 
a  liberal  sum  in  a  Board  of  Trustees,  denominated  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Society  for  Promoting  Religion  and  Learning  in  the 
State  of  New  York.  The  proceeds  of  this  endowment  continue 
to  be  appropriated  by  the  Society  in  aid  of  the  support  of  Mis- 
sionaries, in  the  distribution  of  religious  books  and  tracts,  in 
assisting  young  men  in  their  preparation  for  holy  orders,  and  in 
other  ways  conducive  to  the  interests  and  increase  of  the  Church. 

It  is  obvious,  however,  that  neither  of  the  above  mentioned 
institutions,  although  of  great  and  extensive  utility,  can  be  classed 
with  voluntary  associations  supported  by  the  contributions  of 
their  members. 

The  first  establishment  of  that  kind  attempted  in  our  diocese, 
and,  it  is  believed,  in  the  American  Church,  is  that,  in  the  busi- 
ness of  which  we  are  now  assembled.  It  was  organized  in  the 
beginning  of  the  year  1809,  Since  that  time,  and  especially 
within  the  last  six  or  seven  years,  the  example  has  been  very 
extensively  followed.  In  all  parts  of  the  country  societies  have 
been  formed,  and  are  still  forming,  by  members  of  the  Church, 
for  the  distribution  of  the  Bible  and  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer, 
and  approved  religious  books  and  tracts;  for  the  support  of 
Missionaries,  for  aiding  young  men  in  their  preparation  for  holy 
orders,  for  extending  the  benefits  of  gratuitous  daily  and  Sunday 
instruction;  and  for  other  objects  connected  with  the  enlarge- 
ment and  prosperity  of  the  Church. 

It  is  believed  there  is  not  now  a  diocese  in  the  country,  and 
hardly  a  pari.sh  in  a  diocese,  in  which  the  members  of  the  Church 
are  not  directly  or  indirectly  engaged  in  the  support  and  manage- 
ment of  some  such  establishment.  These  institutions  are  recom- 
mended to  our  notice  and  regard  from  the  two-fold  considera- 
tion of  the  good  they  do  and  the  manner  in  which  they  do  it. 

It  must  be  perfectly  obvious  that  the  good  done  in  the  various 


172  Twelfth  Annual  Report.  [1822 


modes  above  enumerated  must  be  of  vast  extent  and  of  infinite 
importance.  It  is  no  less  than  promoting  the  glory  of  God,  and 
the  spiritual  and  eternil  welfare  of  men ;  and  in  connection  with 
these  the  best  interests  of  society. 

But  the  manner  in  which  this  good  is  done  presents  also  an 
object  of  peculiarly  gratifying  reflection.  No  truth  is  more  obvi- 
ous on  the  face  of  Scripture,  than  that  the  blessings  of  religion 
are  appointed  to  be  enjoyed  by  man  in  a  holy  community,  where 
they  are  connected  with  each  other  by  the  bond  of  a  common 
faith,  a  common  ministry  and  a  common  worship. 

This  community  styled  the  Church  and  Body  of  Christ  is  rep- 
resented as  the  established  mean  for  conveying  to  individuals  the 
spiritual  and  eternal  blessings  designed  by  the  Gospel,  and  the 
appointed  instrument  of  its  extension  and  preservation  in  the 
world.  And  we  esteem  it  a  peculiar  recommendation  of  the 
Societies  we  have  noticed  that  by  recognizing,  in  their  own  estab- 
lishment and  operation,  the  same  bond  of  faith,  ministry  and 
worship, — they  do  good  in  that  evangelical  and  primitive  way 
which,  while  it  promotes  the  great  interests  of  the  Gospel,  fails 
not  also  to  cherish  and  enforce  that  unity  of  faith  and  order, 
which  the  first  Christians  deemed  essential  to  the  religion  they 
professed,  which  the  apostles  strenuously  urged,  and  for  which 
the  Saviour  prayed,  and  which  are  among  the  most  prominent 
characteristics  of  the  Church  for  which  he  shed  his  blood. 

In  accomplishing  the  good  purposes  designed  by  its  establish- 
ment, this  Society  has  through  the  divine  blessing,  been  enabled 
since  its  institution  to  raise  a  permanent  fund  of  $5,348.35,  to 
expend,  in  the  immediate  prosecution  of  its  objects,  nearly 
$4,500 ;  to  procure  in  addition  to  the  expenditure  just  mentioned, 
a  handsome  set  of  stereotype  plates  of  the  Book  of  Common 
Prayer,  and  to  distribute,  principally  gratuitously,  3,195  copies 
of  the  Bible,  500  of  the  New  Testament,  and  6,151  of  the  Book 
of  Common  Prayer,  making  an  aggregate  of  9,846  volumes. 

Of  these,  229  Bibles  and  490  Prayer  Books  have  been  gratui- 
tously distributed,  and  176  octavo  Prayer  Books  from  the 
Society's  plates  have  been  delivered  to  members,  on  the  terms  of 
the  Society  within  the  past  year. 

^  The  Board  at  a  late  meeting  appropriated  $600  for  procuring 
Bible  and  Prayer  Books  for  the  distribution  during  the  ensuing 
year. 


1822]  Twelfth  Annual  Report.  173 

In  this  way  we  may  humbly  hope  that  we  have  been  instru- 
mental in  doing  some  good  to  the  Church,  and  through  that  to 
the  religion  of  the  Redeemer.  It  is  impossible  to  say  how  fai" 
the  distribution  of  these  books  may  have  gone  in  bringing  sin- 
ners to  repentance;  in  reclaiming  the  erroneous,  and  confirming 
the  wavering,  in  the  faith,  in  guiding  man  in  the  peaceful  paths 
of  the  commandments  and  ordinances  of  the  Lord;  bringing 
them  in  his  appointed  way,  into  covenant  with  God;  and  thus 
forwarding  them  through  the  militant  towards  the  triumphant 
state  of  his  holy  Church. 

But  extensive  as  we  may  hope  that  this  good  has  been,  we 
cannot  suppress  the  confidence  that  it  might  and  ought  to  have 
been  greater. 

When  we  consider  what  portion  of  the  wealth  of  the  com- 
munity is  possessed  by  members  of  our  Church,  and  her  peculiar 
advantages  as  a  means  of  promoting  the  great  interests  of  relig- 
ion, we  would  naturally  expect  that  her  institutions  would  be 
foremost  in  extent  of  operation  among  those  designed  to  benefit 
the  cause  of  the  Gospel.  Certain  we  are  that  her  members  can- 
not better  employ  their  ability  to  promote  that  great  and  grand 
cause,  than  by  enabling  her  to  extend  more  widely  the  sanctify- 
ing and  saving  influences  of  her  primitive  and  evangelical  doc- 
trines, order,  and  worship. 

With  this  view,  we  cannot  but  regard  with  the  most  lively 
interest  every  facility  which  she  receives,  in  advancing  in  any 
way  the  great  cause  which  she  has  in  charge.  It  gives  us,  there- 
fore, most  heartfelt  satisfaction  to  advert  to  the  distinguished 
instance  of  individual  liberality  which  since  our  last  meeting  has 
gladdened  the  hearts  of  the  true  friends  of  the  Church,  and  con- 
secrated to  the  perpetual  affectionate  remembrance  of  her  sons, 
the  name  of  Jacob  Sherred.  The  effect  of  his  munificence  in  his 
permanent  location  of  the  General  Theological  Seminary  of  the 
Church,  where  peculiar  facilities  are  afforded  to  the  promotion 
of  its  objects,  and  its  establishment  upon  principles  best  calcu- 
lated to  insure  its  harmonious  and  successful  operation. 

We  also  esteem  it  an  object  of  sincere  felicitation.  To  the  name 
of  this  revered  benefactor  it  is  our  privilege  to  add  that  of  an- 
other, who  devoutedly  attached  to  the  Church  in  life  did  not  in 
death  forget  it,  Mrs.  Sarah  Startin,  long  a  pattern  of  walking  in 
the  commandments  and  ordinances  of  the  Lord,  has  set  her  seal 


Hi  Twelfth  Annual  Report.  [1822 

to  the  sincerity  of  her  desire  for  the  diffusion  through  the  Church 
of  the  inestimable  blessings  of  religion  by  a  liberal  bequest  to- 
that  high  and  important  object. 

Such  instances  of  beneficence  cannot  but  warm  the  Christian 
heart  with  gratitude  and  admiration ;  and  must  be  viewed  by  the 
true  patriot  and  enlightened  statesman  as  the  best  evidence  of 
love  of  country;  inasmuch  as  they  tend  to  diffuse  that  religion 
which  forms  the  most  upright  citizens  and  best  members  of 
society.  Let  them  encourage  us  in  this  sphere  of  usefulness 
which  has  fallen  to  our  lot ;  and  excite  our  hopes,  and  warm  our 
prayer,  that  our  labour  may  not  be  in  vain,  but  in  the  Lord. 

Signed  by  order  of  the  Board. 

J.  H.  HoBART,  President. 
Attest:    Benjamin  T.  Onderdonk,  Secry. 

New  York,  Ash  Wednesday,  Feb.  20,  1822.^ 


1.    The  Christian  Journal,  April,  1822.    Volume  VI.,  No.  4,  pp.  119,  120,  121. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

CONTENTS. 

Progress  of  the  Auxiliary  Societies  —  Anniversary  of  the  Society  of 
Auburn,  September,  1822  —  Diocesan  Convention  Held  at  Troy,  October, 
1822  —  Address  of  Bishop  Hobart  Incorporating  an  Address  from  Bishop 
White  —  Names  of  English,  Scottish  and  Irish  Bishops  Who  Favoured  or 
Opposed  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  —  Criticism  of  Archdeacon 
Norris  by  Dr.  Milnor  —  Reply  by  Bishop  Hobart  —  Opposition  to  the  Aux- 
iliary Society  —  Seventh  Annual  Report  of  the  N.  Y.  Auxilary  —  Address  by 
the  Rev.  George  Uphold  —  Thirteenth  Annual  Report  of  the  N.  Y.  B.  &  C.  P. 
B.  Society. 

THE  notices  found  of  the  work  of  Bible  and  Prayer  Book 
Societies  in  other  parts  of  the  State  show  the  strengfth  of 
conviction  of  their  members  and  their  approval  of  the 
views  of  their  diocesan  concerning  these  aids  in  the  exten- 
sion of  the  Church. 

The  Christian  Journal  gives  this  account  of  the  second  anni- 
versary of  the  Bible  and  Prayer  Book  Society  which  was  held  in 
September,  1822,  at  Auburn;  when  a  sermon  adapted  to  the 
occasion  was  delivered  by  the  Rev.  Henry  Anthon,  Rector  of 
Trinity  Church,  Utica. 

The  Society  was  formed  at  Manlius  in  July,  1820.  In  conse- 
quence of  the  general  distribution  of  the  Bibles  by  the  laudable 
exertions  of  others  and  the  pressing  demand  for  the  Book  of 
Common  Prayer,  the  attention  of  the  Society  since  its  commence- 
ment has  been  turned  to  the  distribution  of  that  invaluable 
manual  of  devotion.  Between  600  and  700  copies  have  already 
been  distributed.  It  must  be  gratifying  to  every  friend  of  the 
Church  to  hear  that  the  zeal  manifested  by  our  friends  in  the 
County  of  Otsego  equalled  every  expectation  which  has  been 
raised  regarding  them.  They  came  forward  with  a  promptness 
and  eagerness  worthy  of  all  imitation.  They  contributed  to  the 
funds  of  the  Society  about  $60,  and  it  should  be  observed  that 
this  sum  was  advanced  by  a  few  individuals.  It  is  confidently 
believed  that  every  Churchman  will  become  a  member  of  the 
Society.     Although  the  operations  of  this  institution  have  neces- 

i7S 


176  Diocesan  Convention  at  Troy.  [1822 

sarily  been  limited,  still  we  trust  that  they  have  been  so  far  useful 
that  we  may  safely  rely  upon  the  patronage  of  every  friend  of 
the  Church,  and  that  we  hazard  nothing  in  saying  that  however 
humble  in  its  beginnings,  it  is  destined,  if  properly  supported,  to 
extend  its  cheering  and  benign  effects  over  every  portion  of  the 
Church  in  the  sphere  of  its  influence. 

Hon.  Morris  S.  Miller,  Utica,  President. 

The  Rev.  Lucius  Smith,  Auburn,  ist  Vice  President. 

The  Rev.  Russell  Wheeler,  Butternuts,  2d  Vice  President. 

The  Hon.  Nathan  Williams,  Utica,  Treasurer. 

The  Rev.  Henry  Anthon,  Utica,  Secretary.^ 

In  October,  1822,  the  Convention  of  the  Diocese  met  in  St. 
Paul's  Church,  Troy.  This  was  one  of  the  few  occasions  when 
a  session  was  held  outside  the  city  of  New  York.  The  Bishop's 
address  dealt  with  the  progress  of  the  Church  during  the  year 
and  made  suggestions  for  increased  work  as  opportunity  offered. 

He  inserted  a  long  extract  from  an  address  of  Dr.  White, 
Bishop  of  Pennsylvania,  disapproving  the  union  of  Churchmen 
and  other  Christians  under  certain  circumstances  for  religious 
and  benevolent  purposes.  In  approving  and  commenting  upon 
it  he  said : 

The  views  founded  on  this  opinion,  the  propriety  of  which 
seems  to  me  so  obvious,  which  originally  influenced  me  with 
respect  to  the  union  of  Episcopalians  with  other  denominations 
in  Bible  societies,  have  gained  strength  by  subsequent  reflection 
and  observation.  These  societies  seem  to  me  erroneous  in  the 
principle  on  which,  in  order  to  secure  general  co-operation,  they 
are  founded — the  separation  of  the  Church  from  the  word  of  God 
of  the  sacred  volume  from  the  ministry,  the  worship,  and  the 
ordinances  which  it  enjoins  as  of  divine  institution,  and  the  in- 
struments of  the  propagation  and  preservation  of  Gospel  truth. 
As  it  respects  Churchmen,  the  tendency  of  these  societies  has 
appeared  to  me  not  less  injurious  than  the  principle  on  which 
they  are  founded  is  erroneous.  They  inculcate  that  generous 
liberality  which  considers  the  differences  among  Christians  as 
non-essential;  and  they  thus  tend  to  weaken  the  zeal  of  Episco- 
palians  in   favour   of  those  distinguishing  principles  of   their 


I.    The   Christian  Journal,  October,  December,   1822.     Volume  VI.   Nos. 
10-12,  pp.  367,  368. 


1822]  Bishop  Hobart's  Address.  177 

Church  which  eminently  entitle  her  to  the  appellation  of  apos- 
tolical and  primitive. 

The  success  of  institutions  which  are  erroneous  in  the  principle 
■on  which  they  are  founded,  or  in  the  measures  which  they  adopt, 
cannot  vindicate  them;  except  on  the  maxim,  that  "the  end  justi- 
fies the  means."  Nor  is  this  success  to  be  considered  as  evidence 
of  the  favour  of  Heaven :  for  then,  divine  sanction  would  be 
obtained  for  many  heretical  and  schismatical  sects  which,  at  vari- 
ous times,  have  obtained  great  popularity,  and  corrupted  and 
rent  the  Christian  Church. 

It  is  a  satisfaction  to  me,  that  in  withholding  my  support  from 
Bible  Societies  I  act  with  those  in  the  highest  stations  in  the 
Church  from  which  we  are  descended,  and  with  the  great  body 
of  its  Clergy.  But  it  is  a  source  of  painful  regret  to  find  myself 
differing,  on  this  subject,  from  many  of  the  Clergy  and  members 
of  our  own  communion  whom  I  greatly  esteem  and  respect.  I 
would  wish  to  guard  against  the  supposition  of  any  design  on  my 
part  to  censure  these  Episcopalians  who  deem  these  societies 
worthy  of  their  support,  and  the  proper  channels  of  their  pious 
munificence.  Among  the  Episcopal  laymen  of  this  description, 
I  recognize  in  the  President  and  acting  Vice  President  of  the 
American  Bible  Society,  individuals  who  are  not  for  a  moment 
to  be  suspected  of  acting  from  any  other  principle  than  a  sense 
of  duty,  and  whose  pure  and  elevated  characters  adorn  the 
Church  of  which  they  are  members.  My  object  is  not  to  censure 
others,  but,  in  the  discharge  of  my  official  duty,  to  state  and 
defend  the  principles  on  which  I  think  Churchmen  should  act  in 
their  efforts  for  the  propagation  of  the  Gospel;  and  to  ask  for 
those  who  do  not  act  on  these  principles,  the  credit  of  an  adher- 
ence to  the  dictates  of  conscience,  and  an  exemption  from  the 
imputation  of  being  unfriendly  to  the  distribution  of  the  oracles 
of  truth.  No  imputation  can  be  more  unjust,  injurious,  or  un- 
kind. It  is  not  to  the  distribution  of  the  Bible,  but  to  the  mode 
of  distribution  that  our  objections  apply.  We  deem  ourselves 
not  warranted  in  sanctioning  what  appears  to  us  a  departure 
from  the  apostolic  mode  of  propagating  Christianity — in  the  sep- 
aration of  the  sacred  volume  from  the  ministry,  the  ordinances, 
and  the  worship  of  that  mystical  body  which  its  Divine  Founder 
has  constituted  the  mean  and  the  pledge  of  salvation  to  the 
world.  And  we  think  that  Episcopalians  will  best  preserve  their 
(la) 


178  Bishop  Hobart's  Address.  [1822^ 

attachment  to  the  distinctive  principles  of  their  apostolic  Church, 
and  thus  best  advance  the  cause  of  primitive  Christianity,  and 
most  effectually  avoid  all  collision  with  their  fellow  Christians 
who  differ  from  them,  by  associating  for  all  religious  purposes 
only  among  themselves. 

The  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Societies  continue  their 
eminently  useful  operations;  and  one  in  the  Western  District  is- 
distinguished  for  its  zealous  exertions.  It  is  highly  gratifying 
to  see  Churchmen  uniting  their  efforts  and  their  contributions  in 
the  extension  of  our  Church ;  and  with  it,  of  the  truths,  the  min- 
istry, and  ordinances  of  that  Gospel,  which  is  the  power  of  God 
unto  salvation,  in  their  primitive  purity.^ 

The  names  of  the  following  Bishops  of  the  Church  of  England 
and  Ireland  appear  among  the  supporters  of  the  British  and  For- 
eign Bible  Society: 

Most  Rev.  Poer  Trench,  Archbishop  of  Tuam;  Honourable 
and  Right  Rev.  Shute  Barrington,  Bishop  of  Durham;  Right 
Rev.  John  Buckner,  Bishop  of  Chichester;  Right  Rev.  Thomas 
Burgess,  Bishop  of  St.  David's ;  Right  Rev.  John  Fisher,  Bishop 
of  Salisbury;  Right  Rev.  Henry  Bathurst,  Bishop  of  Norwich; 
Honourable  and  Right  Rev.  Henry  Ryder,  Bishop  of  Gloucester ; 
Honourable  and  Right  Rev.  Thomas  Lewis  O'Beirne,  Bishop  of 
Meath;  Honourable  and  Right  Rev.  Charles  Lindsay,  Bishop  of 
Kildare;  Honourable  and  Right  Rev.  William  Knox,  Bishop  of 
Derry.     lo. 

The  names  of  the  following  do  not  appear  among  the  support- 
ers of  the  British  and  P^oreign  Bible  Society : 

Right  Honourable  and  Most  Rev.  Charles  Manners  Sutton, 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury ;  Right  Flonourable  and  Most  Rev. 
Edward  Venables  Vernon,  Archbishop  of  York ;  Most  Rev.  Lord 
George  Beresford,  Archbishop  of  Armagh ;  Most  Rev.  William 
Magee  (author  of  the  work  on  the  Atonement),  Archbishop  of 
Dublin;  Right  Honourable  and  Most  Rev.  Richard  Laurence- 
(author  of  the  celebrated  Bampton  Lectures  on  the  Articles), 
Archbishop  of  Cashel ;  Right  Honourable  and  Right  Rev.  Wil- 
liam Howley,  Bishop  of  London;  Right  Rev.  George  Tomline, 

1.  Address  of  The  Rt.  Rev.  John  Henry  Hobart,  D.D.,  to  the  Conventioi> 
of  the  Diocese  of  New  York,  October  15,  1822,  pp.  31,  32,  33,  Journal,  1822. 


HENRY  HADLEY  NORRIS 


1822]  Bishop  Hobart*s  Address.  179 

Bishop  of  Winchester;  Right  Rev,  William  Henry  Majendie, 
Bishop  of  Bangor;  Right  Rev.  Richard  Beadin,  Bishop  of  Bath 
and  Wells ;  Right  Rev.  John  Kaye,  Regius  Professor  of  Divinity, 
Cambridge,  Bishop  of  Bristol ;  Right  Rev.  Samuel  Goodenough, 
Bishop  of  Carlisle;  Right  Rev.  George  Henry  Law,  Bishop  of 
Chester;  Right  Rev.  Bowyer  E.  Sparke,  Bishop  of  Ely;  Right 
Rev.  William  Carey,  Bishop  of  Exeter ;  Right  Rev.  George  Isaac 
Huntingford,  Bishop  of  Hereford;  Honourable  and  Right  Rev. 
J.  Cornwallis,  Bishop  of  Litchfield  and  Coventry ;  Honourable 
and  Right  Rev.  George  A.  Pelham,  Bishop  of  Lincoln;  Right 
Rev.  William  Van  Mildert,  Bishop  of  Landaff;  Honourable  and 
Right  Rev.  Edward  Legge,  Bishop  of  Oxford ;  Right  Rev.  Her- 
bert Marsh,  Bishop  of  Peterborough;  Right  Rev.  Walter  King, 
Bishop  of  Rochester;  Right  Rev.  John  Luxmoore,  Bishop  of  St. 
Asaph;  Right  Rev.  F.  H.  W.  Cornwall,  Bishop  of  Worcester; 
Right  Rev.  George  Murray,  Bishop  of  Sodor  and  Mann;  Hon- 
ourable and  Right  Rev.  R.  Ponsonby,  Bishop  of  Down  and  Con- 
nor; Right  Rev.  William  Bisset,  Bishop  of  Raphoe;  Right  Rev. 
Nathanael  Alexander,  Bishop  of  Clogher;  Right  Rev.  George 
De  La  Poer  Beresford,  Bishop  of  Kilmore;  Right  Rev.  James 
Saurin,  Bishop  of  Dromore;  Right  Rev.  Robert  Fowler,  Bishop 
of  Ossory ;  Right  Rev.  Lord  Robert  Tottenham,  Bishop  of  Ferns ; 
Right  Rev.  Thomas  Elrington,  I^ishop  of  Limerick;  Honourable 
and  Right  Rev.  Richard  Bourke,  Bishop  of  Waterford ;  Hon- 
ourable and  Right  Rev.  Thomas  P.  Lawrence,  Bishop  of  Cork; 
Right  Rev.  Charles  Mungan  Warburton,  Bishop  of  Cloyne; 
Right  Rev.  Richard  Mant,  Bishop  of  Killaloe;  Right  Rev.  John 
Leslie,  Bishop  of  Elphin ;  Right  Rev.  Christopther  Butson,  Bish- 
of  of  Clonfert;  Right  Rev.  James  Verchoyle,  Bishop  of  Killala. 
To  whom  are  to  be  added  the  Bishops  of  the  Scotch  Epis- 
copal Church;  Right  Rev.  George  Gleig,  Primus,  Bishop  of 
Brechin ;  Right  Rev.  Alexander  Jolly,  Bishop  of  Moray ;  Right 
Rev.  Daniel  Sandford,  Bishop  of  Edinburgh ;  Right  Rev.  Patrick 
Torrey,  Bishop  of  Dunkeld ;  Right  Rev.  William  Skinner,  Bishop 
of  Aberdeen ;  Right  Rev.  David  Low,  Bishop  of  Ross.  Total  45. 
No  immediate  reply  was  made  by  any  champion  of  the  Bible 
Society.  In  the  winter  of  1822-23  the  Rev.  Dr.  James  Milnor, 
Rector  of  St.  George's  Church  and  Secretary  of  the  American 
Bible  Society,  made  an  address  in  which  he  severely  criticised  the 
letter  of  the  Rev.  Henry  Hadley  Norris  of  Hackney  to  Lord 


180  Annual  Auxiliary  Meeting.  [1823 


Liverpool,  condemning  the  Bible  Societies  which  had  recently 
appeared;  in  it  he  used  the  phrase  "infidels  or  blinded  Chris- 
tians." 

Bishop  Hobart  then  wrote  anonymously  to  the  New  York 
Daily  Advertiser  in  condemnation  of  this  address  and  inserted 
the  extract  from  his  Convention  address  upon  Bible  Societies. 
After  some  correspondence,  Mr.  Theodore  Dwight,  the  editor, 
declined  to  publish  it  unless  the  Bishop  should  sign  it  with  his 
own  name.  Finally  the  Bishop  sent  it  to  the  Evening  Post,  in 
which  it  was  published  on  February  i,  1823.^ 

In  the  meantime  the  Auxiliary  Society  found  itself  opposed  by 
those  Churchmen  who  advocated  Bible  Societies.  Dr.  Milnor 
refused  to  read  the  notice  sent  to  him  of  the  annual  meeting  and 
to  close  St.  George's  on  the  evening  when  the  Rev.  Dr.  Upfold, 
Rector  of  St.  Luke's  Church,  was  to  preach  in  St.  Paul's  Chapel 
a  sermon  in  its  behalf.  It  found  subscriptions  were  withheld. 
Like  other  societies  in  the  Church  it  needed  all  the  devotion 
which  a  confidence  in  the  worthiness  of  its  work  could  give  to 
overcome  the  obstacles  it  encountered.  But  its  members  were 
full  of  faith  and  not  easily  discouraged.  In  full  expectation  of 
the  hearty  co-operation  of  all  Churchmen  it  printed  this  notice 
in  the  daily  papers : 

i  Notice. 

The  annual  meeting  of  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and 
Common  Prayer  Book  Society  will  be  held  in  Trinity  Church 
To-MoRROW,  26th  inst.  at  7  o'clock  P.  M.,  when  the  annual 
Report  of  the  Board  of  Managers  will  be  presented.  The  attend- 
ance of  the  members,  and  all  others  friendly  to  the  object  of  the 
Society  is  respectfully  solicited. 

Chas.  Keeler,  Recording  Secry.* 

The  report  as  printed  gives  this  day  for  the  meeting  as  Satur- 
day, but  the  notice  is  evidently  correct  and  we  must  conclude  that 
Sunday  is  the  right  date. 

The  proceedings  of  the  Annual  Meeting  and  the  Report  of 

1.  This  outline  is  taken  from  a  Letter  of  the  Hon.  William  Jay  to  Bishop 
Hobart,  which  will  be  noticed  more  fully. 

2.  The  Commercial  Advertiser,  New  York,  January  25,  1823. 


1823]  Seventh  Auxiliary  Report.  181 

which  a  large  portion  is  here  given,  show  the  determination  to 
persevere  in  its  work  notwithstanding  all  the  trials  and  diffi- 
culties it  had  recently  encountered. 

The  Report  is  gloomy  in  tone,  and  it  must  be  remembered  that 
the  poor  showing  of  the  past  year  was  due  not  to  so  much  to 
the  opposition  which  it  so  unreasonably  encountered  among 
church  people  who  ought  to  have  upheld  and  fostered  its  work, 
but  to  the  scourge  of  scarlet  fever  which  joined  to  the  general 
financial  depression  had  disheartened  the  whole  of  the  com- 
munity. 

At  the  seventh  annual  meeting  of  the  Auxiliary  in  January, 
1823,  Dr.  John  Smyth  Rogers,  for  five  years  past  the  Treasurer 
of  the  Society,  and  to  whom  it  is  indebted  for  his  valuable  exer- 
tions from  the  period  of  its  establishment,  having  relinquished 
his  office,  Mr,  Floyd  Smith,  late  first  Vice  President,  yielded  to 
the  unanimous  desire  of  the  Board  and  undertook  the  office  of 
Treasurer. 

The  seventh  annual  Report  is  in  part  as  follows : 

The  Managers* of  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common 
Prayer  Book  Society  come  before  their  constituents  with  diffi- 
dence and  regret.  On  former  occasions  they  have  had  the  satis- 
faction to  present  reports  of  their  proceedings,  which  warmed 
their  hearts  with  gratitude  for  the  blessings  of  which  they  were 
made  the  instruments  and  proudly  carried  forward  their  views  to 
labours  of  future  usefulness:  for  then  they  contemplated  only 
the  rapid  progress  and  rising  hopes  of  this  Society.  From  the 
tender  plant  of  the  forest,  they  had  seen  it  advancing  to  the 
vigour  of  confirmed  strength,  its  roots  seemed  to  have  fixed  in  a 
kindly  soil,  and,  in  their  fond  imagination,  they  looked  forward 
to  the  time  when  its  branches  should  spread  rapidly,  and  its  fruits 
supply  the  wants  of  many  who  looked  to  it  for  spiritual  nourish- 
ment and  strength. 

Surely  this  was  not  an  idle  nor  unjustifiable  expectation — for 
this  Society  had  received  the  patronage  of  Churchmen  of  every 
degree.  The  rich  had  given  it  their  bounty,  the  zealous  their 
exertions,  and  the  poor  their  prayers.  With  such  encouragement, 
an  institution  whose  first  organization  was  effected  by  a  few  indi- 
viduals, was  raised  into  public  favour,  solely  from  a  sense  of  its 
importance  to  the  interests  of  religion,  and  of  its  usefulness  to 
the  Church.     In  two  years   10,000  volumes,  distributed  by  its 


iii  Seventh  Auxiliary  Report.  [1823 

care,  had  "made  its  name  known  and  coupled  with  honourable 
appellation  to  the  furthest  limits  of  our  federal  union."^  Even 
then  this  seedling  was  "found  to  be  of  the  true  species  and  of  the 
right  kind";  and  the  Society  was  declared  to  need  "no  higher 
encomium  than  the  unvarnished  tale  of  its  recent  origin  and 
widespread  labours." 

On  our  Sixth  Anniversary,  however,  with  an  exhausted  treas- 
ury, and  a  diminished  subscription  list,  your  Board  of  Managers 
beg^n  almost  "to  despair  of  being  able  to  resume  those  active  and 
beneficent  labours  which,  with  the  blessing  of  Heaven,  had  shed 
the  light  of  the  Gospel  and  the  purity  of  Christian  worship  on 
the  remotest  borders  of  our  land."  Still,  "trusting  in  their  hal- 
lowed cause,"  the  Board  then  put  to  you  the  question,  "Shall  we 
ask  in  vain  for  the  means  of  continuing  our  labours?  Shall  we 
in  vain  address  to  Christians  our  supplications  for  relief  for  those 
who  are  treading  the  thorny  ways  of  wretchedness,  and  the  dark 
valley  of  death  ?  Shall  the  beacon  which  your  bounty  has  erected 
to  light  the  traveller  on  his  way,  and  to  guide  the  wanderer  to  a 
haven  of  rest,  be  extinguished; — now  when  the  solitary  places 
have  been  made  glad  by  its  rays,  and  its  beams  have  begun  to 
shed  the  light  of  glory  on  the  ocean  and  the  wilderness  'f'"^ 

The  seventh  year  has  just  elapsed,  and  we  are  now  compelled 
to  confess  that  the  appeal  has  been  in  vain,  and  that  our  expecta- 
tions are  disappointed.  So  far  from  being  supported  by  increas- 
ing liberality,  a  large  proportion  of  our  members,  when  called 
upon  for  their  subscription,  have  withdrawn  their  names;  and 
while  our  resources  are  thus  continually  decreasing,  very  few 
subscribers  are  added  to  our  list.  Until  the  last  month,  not  a 
single  Bible  or  Prayer  Book  had  issued  from  our  Depository 
during  the  whole  of  the  past  year.  And  unless  Churchmen  feel 
it  their  duty  to  renew  and  extend  their  aid,  the  Board  must  yield 
to  the  prevailing  apathy;  their  plates  must  be  permitted  to  lie 
unemployed ;  they  must  close  their  ears  to  the  calls  for  aid,  and 
shut  the  doors  of  their  Depository  against  the  demand  for  that 

knowledge  which  "maketh  wise  unto  salvation." 

♦  ♦*****  * 

Yet  we  are  assured  by  abundant  evidence,  that  there  is  among 


1.  Rev.  Mr.  M'Vickar's  Address  before  the  Society,  January,  1818. 

2.  Vide  Sixth  Annual  Report. 


1823]  Seventh  Auxiliary  Report.  183 

Churchmen  a  spirit  of  HberaHty  of  which  our  Church  might  boast, 
but  its  effects  are  not  generally  seen  nor  appreciated,  because  it 
is  diverted  and  scattered  through  the  inconsiderate  kindness  of 
an  exclusive  charity.  The  Church  of  our  choice,  so  far  from 
being  preferred,  is  placed  last  in  the  participation  of  our  bounty ; 
and,  abandoning  all  that  we  profess  to  value,  our  contributions 
give  impulse  to  the  current  of  other  streams,  but  leave  dry  and 
forsaken  their  own  channels,  whose  banks  they  might  enrich  and 
adorn. 

This  disposition  to  aid  others  in  their  work  of  piety  and  benevo- 
lence argues  an  amiable  and  liberal  character,  and  were  it  an- 
swered by  a  correspondent  return  of  benefits,  it  might  be  also 
desirable  and  wise.  The  very  name  of  charity  is  lovely,  as  that 
of  sect  is  odious;  and  next  to  a  frank  and  honest  rivalry  of 
benevolence,  we  would  delight  in  a  mutual  interchange  of  benefits 
and  gifts.  Either  one  of  these  plans  would  be  productive  of 
advantage  to  the  common  cause,  and  either  would  be  honourable. 
But  to  be  useful  and  wise,  the  system  of  interchange  should  be 
equal  and  reciprocal.  Episcopalians  have  long  set  the  example  of 
<:ontributing  most  generously  and  nobly  to  forward  the  views  and 
purposes  of  their  brethren  of  other  denominations ;  but  it  is  due 
to  the  sincerity  of  truth  to  declare  that  their  views  of  charity 
never  extended  to  reciprocity  in  our  schemes;  that  while  thou- 
sands of  dollars  are  given  by  Churchmen  to  forward  the  projects 
of  their  fellow  Christians,  scarcely  a  dollar  finds  its  way  back  in 
acknowledgment  of  our  courtesy,  or  in  advancement  of  our  plans. ^ 
Meanwhile  the  fabrics  which  Christians  have  contributed  to  rear 
to  magnificence,  are  compared  with  the  deserted  ruins  of  their 
own  enclosure,  and  while  strangers  afifect  to  mark  the  contrast 
with  pity  or  with  scorn,  our  own  household  is  dishonoured,  her 
spirit  extinguished,  her  efforts  paralyzed. 


I.  To  say  nothing  of  Bible  Societies,  subscriptions  for  building  churches, 
for  mission  families,  etc.,  the  missionary  and  tract  societies  of  other  denomi- 
nations exhibit  the  names  of  a  great  number  of  Churchmen  as  life  subscribers 
or  liberal  supporters ;  but  among  similar  societies  of  our  Church,  it  is  a  most 
-unusual  circumstance  to  find  a  single  subscription  out  of  our  own  com- 
munion. This  Society  is  proud  to  record  one  name  in  honourable  exception 
to  this  general  rule.  It  is  that  of  Richard  Varick,  Esq.,  who  was  an  early 
and  generous  contributor  to  our  funds. 


184  Seventh  Auxiliary  Report.  [1823. 

With  the  funds  in  their  hands  at  the  close  of  the  year,  the 
Board  have  ordered  the  purchase  of  800  Prayer  Books,  a  part  of 
which  have  been  divided  amongst  the  most  pressing  of  the  calls 
urged  upon  them ;  and  the  remainder  are  pledged  for  further  dis- 
tribution. They  have  also  directed  500  Bibles,  the  residue  of  the 
edition  of  1,000.  which  remained  in  sheets,  to  be  bound.  The 
Agent  reports  the  gratuitous  distributions  actually  made  out  of 
the  recent  appropriations  to  be,  93  Bibles  and  242  Prayer  Books. 
The  Bishop  of  the  State  of  Ohio,  whose  earnest  application  could 
not  before  be  met,  has  been  apprised  that  50  Prayer  Books  are 
subject  to  his  order :  and  the  residue  of  the  appropriation  will  be 
applied,  with  a  prudent  caution,  to  other  demands  which  have 
been  long  unanswered.  The  Sunday  Schools  of  the  several  Epis- 
copal Churches,  the  Orphan  Asylum,  the  State  Prison,  the  Mari- 
ner's Church,  and  the  Missionary  service  are  among  those  claims 
which  have  been,  in  part,  supplied.  The  sales  from  the  Deposi- 
tory, during  the  past  year,  have  been  1,675  Prayer  Books,  and 
the  total  of  the  sales  and  distributions  since  the  organization  of 
the  Society  is  3,119  Bibles,  and  18,842  Prayer  Books. 

The  Treasurer's  account  shows  a  balance  in  the  treasury  of 
$116.58,  and  there  is  due  from  the  Sunday  School  Society,  for 
Bibles  sold  them,  $85 ;  but  these  sums  will  be  insufficient  to  meet 
the  debt  incurred  in  the  purchase  of  Prayer  Books,  and  in  binding- 
the  Bibles  as  before  mentioned. 

Besides  their  plates  of  the  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book, 
the  Society  possesses  a  permanent  fund  of  $425,  deposited  in  the 
Savings  Bank,  being  the  proceeds  of  twenty-one  life  subscrip- 
tions, only  the  interest  of  which  is  at  the  disposal  of  the  Board  of 
Managers. 

The  Board  would  abandon,  with  reluctance,  a  field  white  for 
the  labour  of  benevolence,  and  which  will  repay,  with  the  sub- 
stantial fruits  of  a  rich  harvest,  those  who  are  permitted  to  enter 
upon  it.  On  every  hand  the  Bible  and  Prayer  Book  are  con- 
stantly called  for.  The  good  Samaritan  would  find  objects  for 
his  bounty  without  wandering  from  his  immediate  path.  At  our 
very  doors,  in  our  very  temples,  are  large  Sunday  Schools,  which 
have  never  yet  been  sufficiently  supplied.  Around  us  in  our  city 
are  the  wants  of  public  charities,  public  prisons,  the  solicitations 
of  seamen,  and  the  individual  claims  of  hundreds  of  others  to  be 
attended  to.  In  the  country,  almost  every  Church  has  similar 
requirements  with  our  own  here;  and  in  the  new  settlements 


1823]  Seventh  Auxiliary-  Report.  185 

where  the  faithful  missionary  conveys  the  good  news  of  salvation, 
and  forms  Churches  and  congregations,  Bibles  and  Prayer  Books, 
the  necessary  concomitants  of  his  success,  if  furnished  at  all, 
must  be  furnished  by  the  common  exertions  which  we  have  en- 
deavoured to  call  forth. ^ 

Few  sermons  of  the  first  Bishop  of  Indiana  are  in  print. 
George  Upfold  was  the  son  of  English  parents  and  passed  his 
boyhood  in  Albany.  He  received  his  early  religious  training  in 
old  St.  Peter's,  of  which  his  father  was  Vestryman  and  Warden. 
After  passing  through  the  General  Theological  Seminary,  he 
with  his  friend  George  Washington  Doane  founded  St.  Luke's 
Church,  New  York,  and  then  succeeded  Mr.  Duffie  at  St.  Thom- 
as's Church.  He  afterwards  became  Rector  of  Trinity  Church, 
Pittsburgh,  from  which  place  he  was  called  to  the  Bishopric  of 
Indiana.  In  Indiana  he  met  with  great  discouragement,  but 
worked  with  undaunted  perseverance  to  plant  the  Church  in  the 
waste  and  neglected  places  of  the  middle  West. 

Among  his  brother  Bishops  he  was  affectionately  known  as 
"Uncle  George." 

This  sermon  or  address  will  be  read  with  pleasure  and  interest 
both  for  its  matter  and  for  its  author's  sake. 

This  notice  is  found  in  the  daily  papers : 

Bible  and  Prayer  Book  Society. 

The  annual  sermon  and  collection  for  the  benefit  of  the  Auxil- 
iary New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  will 
take  place  in  St.  Paul's  Chapel  on  Sunday  evening  next,  the  9th 
inst.  at  7  o'clock. 

N.  B. — The  seventh  annual  Report  of  the  Society  is  now  ready 
for  delivery  gratis  at  the  office  of  the  agent,  No.  99  Pearl  Street.'' 

The  following  address  of  the  Rev.  George  Upfold,  delivered 
before  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book 
Society,^  at  the  7th  anniversary  of  that  institution,  is  published 


1.  The  Seventh  Annual  Report  of  the  Managers  of  the  Auxiliary  New 
York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society.  New  York:  Printed  by  T. 
&  J.  Swords.     1823. 

2.  The  Commercial  Advertiser,  New  York,  Wednesday,  February  5th, 
1823. 

3.  We  are  requested  to  remind  our  readers  that  the  treasurer  of  the 
Society  is  Mr.  Floyd  Smith,  No.  182,  Broadway,  by  whom  subscriptions  and 
donations  for  the  pious  objects  of  the  institution  will  be  gratefully  received. 


186  Address  by  Rev.  G.  Upfold.  [1823 

at  the  solicitation  of  the  Board  of  Managers.  It  is  presented  not 
only  as  a  happy  specimen  of  that  earnest  style  of  preaching  which 
is  justly  considered  appropriate  to  the  recommendation  of  a  pub- 
lic charity,  but  also  in  the  hope  that  it  will  still  further  subserve 
the  interests  of  the  excellent  Society  whose  claims  to  patronage 
it  so  clearly  and  eloquently  urges. 

From  the  "Christian  Journal." 

An  address  delivered  in  St.  Paul's  Chapel  on  Sunday  evening, 
February  9th,  1823,  for  the  benefit  of  the  Auxiliary  New  York 
Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  by  the  Rev.  George 
Upfold,  M.D.,  Rector  of  St.  Luke's  Church,  New  York. 

When  we  contemplate  the  world  in  which  we  live,  without  the 
instruction  of  revelation,  we  find  it  filled  with  contradictions  and 
mysteries  which  involve  us  in  perplexing  conjectures,  and  fill  our 
minds  with  wondering  agitations.  To  natural  reasoning  there 
is  nothing  in  the  present  state  of  things  reconcilable  to  any  har- 
monious design  or  justly  proportioned  system;  and  wherever  we 
turn  our  eyes,  whether  on  the  earth  itself  or  its  inhabitants,  all 
appears  discordant  and  out  of  place.  In  this  perplexing  exhibi- 
tion, man  exalted  above  all  other  earthly  beings  is  the  mystery  of 
mysteries — we  behold  him  endowed  with  a  soul,  exalted  in  its 
views,  g^eat  in  its  comprehension,  immortal  in  its  principle,  filled 
with  desires  which  Omnipotence  alone  can  satisfy,  possessed  of 
faculties  which  seem  to  place  no  limit  to  his  capacity  for  happi- 
ness, and  yet  we  see  this  being,  so  elevated  in  the  scale  of  exist- 
ence, and  so  adorned,  the  slave  of  the  meanest  and  most  degrad- 
ing passions ;  grovelling  with  the  beasts  that  perish  amid  the  sen- 
sual gratifications  of  the  earth,  and  sharing  with  them  in  its  final 
dissolution ;  and  by  far  the  greater  part  of  the  mysterious  race, 
indulging  in  no  one  care  beyond  present  and  transient  enjoy- 
ments, nor  ever  seeming  to  feel  that  they  came  into  the  world  but 
just  to  eat,  drink,  and  die.  But  on  this  dark  and  mysterious 
prospect  a  clear  and  explanatory  radiance  has  been  shed.  Revela- 
tion unfolds  the  wondrous  secret,  rolling  away  the  impervious 
clouds  which  rest  upon  our  natural  condition  and  conceal  the 
mournful  cause  of  this  mystery,  it  shows  us  a  world  not  as  origi- 
nally contrived  and  harmoniously  arranged,  but  a  world  in  ruins. 
It  exhibits  a  race  of  beings  in  rebellion  against  their  Almighty 
Creator.     It  represents  the  earth  as  the  scene  of  an  awful  and 


1823]  Address  by  Rev.  G.  Upfold.  187 

universal  apostasy  from  God ;  presenting  to  angels  and  men  a 
mingled  spectacle  of  divine  wrath  and  divine  mercy  and  disclos- 
ing the  terribleness  of  God's  indignation  in  connection  with  the 
power  of  his  redeeming  love.    Throwing  aside  the  veil  of  former 
concealment  it  tells  us  that  "by  one  man's  disobedience  sin  entered 
into  the  world  and  death,"  and  all  its  mournful  train  of  conse- 
quences came  "by  sin" ;  that  the  ground  was  cursed  for  man's 
sake;  and  that  "the  whole  earthly  creation  groaneth  and  travail- 
€th  together  until  now"  on  account  of  his  transgression  and  g^ilt. 
Revelation,  however,  in  this  explanatory  process  does  not  stop 
here.     It  makes  known  to  us  truths  more  animating,  more  excel- 
lent, more  joyous  and  consolatory  than  these.    It  tells  us  that  the 
world,   though   rumed,  and  exhibiting  a   prospect  of  mournful 
desolation,  is  not  without  a  remedy;   that  man  though  fallen, 
depraved,  guilty  and  wretched,  is  not  utterly  undone ;  that  obnox- 
ious as  he  is  to  divine  wrath,  and  amenable  to  punishment,  there 
is  a  way  provided  for  his  restoration  to  favour,  and  for  his  escape 
from  the  fearful  consequences  of  his  disobedience.     It  announces 
a  Redeemer,  one  who  is  willing  and  mighty  to  save ;  and  through 
him  proclaims  a  remedy  for  guilt,  a  sure  and  certain  way  of 
return   from  our  wanderings,   an   effective  antidote  to  all  our 
misery.     It  preaches  to  us  the  doctrine  of  peace,  and  tells  us  of 
one,  who,  when  there  was  no  eye  to  pity,  no  hand  to  help,  nor  any 
to  bring  salvation,  became  the  propitiation  for  our  sins,  and  the 
author  of  everlasting  life  to  all  that  obey  him.    It  reveals  to  us  the 
interesting  act  of  the  descent  of  "the  only  begotten  son  of  God 
full  of  grace  and  truth"  to  bear  the  chastisement  for  our  peace 
and  to  reconcile  us  to  God  by  the  sacrifice  of  Himself.    It  tells  us 
that  God  was  in  Christ  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself,  not 
imputing  unto  them  their  trespasses. 

Joyful  indeed,  brethren,  are  these  tidings,  and  satisfactory  to 
the  soul  perplexed  with  doubtful  conjectures  on  its  natural  con- 
dition, its  present  sensibilities  and  future  destiny.     This  is  that 
"hidden  wisdom"  which  was  kept  secret  since  the  world  began, 
until  brought  to  light  by  the  Gospel ;  this  is  the  mystery  which 
was  concealed  from  ages  and  generations ;  this 
"the  joyful  sound, 
which  Kings  and  prophets  waited  for 
and  sought  but  never  found." 


188  Address  by  Rev.  G.  Upfold.  [182a 

This  the  transcendent 

"heavenly  light, 
which  Kings  and  prophets  long  desired, 
But  died  without  the  sight." 

"Blessed  are  our  eyes,"  my  brethren,  for  they  see,  and  our  ears 
for  they  hear. 

To  us  the  mystery  of  godliness  is  fully  disclosed.  That  revela- 
tion of  mercy  and  truth,  which  dispersing  the  clouds  of  error  and 
of  wrath  from  the  moral  firmament  hath  brought  life  and  immor- 
tality to  light,  is  ours,  and  in  its  instructions,  its  privileges,  and 
its  blessings  we  are  enabled  to  rejoice. 

But  to  multitudes  the  Gospel  is  still  "the  hidden  wisdom" ;  and 
its  offers  of  pardon  and  reconciliation,  its  instructive  doctrines 
and  consoling  truths  are  unknown.  Clouds  and  darkness  still 
rest  upon  very  many  of  earth's  inhabitants  and  envelope  in 
gloomy  ignorance  their  mental  vision  and  their  spiritual  prospect. 

Numbers  still  bow  the  knee  of  adoration  to  "dumb  idols,"  and 
seek  from  "stocks  and  stones,  the  work  of  their  own  hands,"  a 
refuge  from  that  wrath  which  they  are  conscious  they  deserve, 
and  the  gift  of  that  mercy  which  they  are  sensible  that  they  need. 
This  spiritual  destitution  is  not  confined,  however,  to  the  heathen 
world.  In  Christian  lands  it  is  felt.  In  our  own  country  there  is 
a  lamentable  dearth  of  the  bread  of  life;  and  within  the  circle  of 
our  immediate  observation,  thousands  are  groaning  under  the 
destructive  bondage  of  sin  and  Satan  and  perishing  for  lack  of 
knowledge.  Do  you  doubt  the  truth  of  this  assertion?  Do  you 
hesitate  to  admit  the  extent  of  that  moral  desolation  which  over- 
spreads so  large  a  portion  of  this  highly  favoured  country? 
Peruse  the  annual  reports  of  those  heralds  of  the  cross,  who  leav- 
ing the  comforts  of  a  more  refined  life,  have  gone  forth  to  preach 
the  Gospel  of  reconciliation  in  our  new  settlements.  Contemplate 
with  serious  attention  the  mournful  picture  which  they  draw  of 
the  spiritual  condition  of  the  inhabitants  of  those  remote  districts. 
See  how  many  there  are  excluded  from  the  privileges  and  ordi- 
nances of  our  holy  religion ;  with  no  hand  to  guide  them  into  the 
paths  of  righteousness  and  peace;  with  no  sanctuary  to  frequent 
for  the  offering  up  of  their  prayers  and  praises  to  the  Most  High 
and  the  hearing  of  that  word,  which  maketh  wise  unto  salvation ; 
"with  no  Bible  to  supply  the  place  of  other  instruction ;  with  no 
approved  formulary  of  devotion  to  aid  them  in  rendering  rational 


1823]  Address  by  Rev.  G.  Upfold.  189 

and  acceptable  worship ;  with  no  messenger  of  grace"  to  reprove, 
rebuke,  exhort  them,  to  warn  men  of  their  danger,  to  convince 
them  of  sin,  to  lead  them  now  in  wisdom's  ways,  and  in  a  dying 
hour,  to  infuse  into  men's  souls  "a  hope  full  of  immortality." 
But  we  need  not  contemplate  this  scene  of  spiritual  want  and 
ignorance  at  such  a  distance.  Nearer  home  there  is  enough  to 
«xcite  your  concern  and  call  forth  your  compassion.  Go  wander 
through  many  parts  of  this  metropolis — enter  the  abodes  of 
numbers  of  its  inhabitants — ask  the  wretched  inmates  of  their 
God — and  they  do  not  know  him — speak  of  their  Saviour,  and 
his  precious  offices — and  they  have  never  heard  of  Him — ask 
them  of  their  hopes  beyond  the  present  transitory  scene — and 
they  have  none.  From  their  miserable  dwellings  no  morning 
orison  is  lifted  up  to  God,  no  evening  offering  of  praise  ascends 
as  grateful  incense  to  the  skies;  but  all  within  them  is  desolate 
and  comfortless :  they  are  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins ;  heaven  and 
all  the  joys  it  offers  are  matters  of  an  unknown  import ;  salvation 
a  strange  and  unintelligible  tale;  earth  bounds  their  highest 
pleasures,  and  their  highest  prospects.  God  is  not  in  all  their 
thoughts.  Such,  my  brethren,  is  the  wretched  condition  of  many 
of  our  fellow  creatures.  And  must  they  remain  in  this  deplorable 
ignorance  of  divine  things?  Have  they  immortal  souls,  to  be 
saved  or  to  be  lost,  and  shall  they  continue  strangers  to  him  who 
is  the  only  "Way,  the  Truth  and  the  Life,"  and  through  whom 
alone  cometh  salvation?  Shall  accountable  human  beings  be 
suffered  to  live  in  this  habitual  commission  of  sin  without  a  soli- 
tary warning  of  their  danger?  Shall  they  be  left  to  die  unac- 
quainted with  that  precious  gift  which  alone  can  render  their 
passage  into  the  eternal  world  safe,  and  their  exit  glorious  and 
happy  ?  Is  a  revelation  so  important  in  its  nature,  and  so  salutary 
in  its  tendency  as  the  Gospel  of  peace;  so  indispensable  to  the 
everlasting  welfare  of  man ;  so  full  of  comfort,  of  hope,  and  of 
joy ;  to  be  confined  in  its  operation  to  those  whose  lot  happens  to 
be  cast  in  fairer  ground,  and  its  holy  momentous  truths  be  with- 
held from  the  less  fortunate?  Surely  not!  Such,  brethren,  was 
not  the  intention  of  its  divine  author,  of  Him  who  sealed  its 
precious  truths  with  his  blood.  Nor  must  such  selfishness  per- 
vade the  hearts  and  influence  the  practice  of  any  of  his  followers. 
"Go  ye,"  said  he  to  his  immediate  disciples,  "go  ye  into  all  the 
world  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature."    The  benevolent 


190  Address  by  Rev.  G.  Upfold.  [182S 

command  has  lost  nothing  of  its  force,  nor  of  its  importance  in 
the  lapse  of  ages.  Calculated  and  intended  for  universal  dif- 
fusion, the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  demands  the  zealous  and  con- 
tinual efforts  of  all  in  its  dissemination,  of  all  who  participate  in 
its  privileges  and  enjoy  its  blessings.  The  gift  of  infinite  love  to 
a  fallen  and  ruined  race,  it  embraces  all  mankind  in  its  intended 
influence,  and  must  be  spread  by  faith  and  charity  from  man  to 
man,  until  all  shall  know  Him  whom  to  know  aright  is  eternal 
life.  Yes,  my  brethren,  Christianity  imposes  upon  its  votaries 
peculiar  obligations  to  extend  its  benefits  and  blessings,  and  its 
appeal,  in  this  respect  to  their  hearts  is  awakening  and  forcible. 
And  blessed  be  God !  at  the  present  time  this  appeal  is  sensibly 
felt,  and  these  obligations  duly  appreciated  and  faithfully  prac- 
ticed. Christians  now  appear  alive  to  this  part  of  their  duty,  and 
from  their  awakened  sensibility  we  have  reason  to  hope  for  the 
happiest  results  to  the  cause  of  humanity,  of  religion,  and  of  God. 
That  charity  which  regarding  with  the  tenderest  solicitude,  the 
spiritual  wants  of  our  fellow  creatures,  extends  its  ready  aid  to 
all  within  the  sphere  of  its  influence,  is  a  prominent  and  dis- 
tinguishing feature  of  the  age  in  which  we  live,  and  the  events 
to  which  it  has  given  rise,  form  an  interesting  and  honourable 
epoch  in  the  moral  history  of  the  world. 

A  spirit  of  benevolence  of  the  highest  and  purest  species  of 
benevolence,  has  been  elicited  and  is  gaining  ground  among  the 
professors  of  the  Christian  faith ;  and  its  efforts,  holy  and  useful 
in  their  intention,  extensive  in  their  plan,  enlarged  in  their  opera- 
tion, and  beneficial  in  their  effects,  reflect  a  bright  and  dazzling 
lustre  for  the  religion  which  calls  forth  their  exercise,  and  directs 
their  movements.     To  the  Christian  philanthropist,  the  present 
aspect  of  the  religious  world  is  indeed  imposing  and  animating; 
and  in  the  prospect  which  it  presents  of  extensive  and  multiplied 
and  zealous  exertion  in  the  cause  of  Christ,  and  particularly  the 
active  co-operation  of  the  laity  in  the  various  plans  of  "doing 
good,"  which  is  a  peculiar  trait  in  the  spiritual  character  of  the 
age.    Every  friend  of  the  Redeemer  must  rejoice.    Hope  contem- 
plates  the   sublime   spectacle   with   ardent,   delightful   emotion. 
Faith  looks  forward  with  eager  anticipation  to  the  fulfilment  of 
prophecy,  and  hails  with  rapture  the  period,  as  not  far  distant 
when  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  shall  become  the  Kingdoms  of 
Christ,  and  the  earth  shall  be  filled  with  the  knowledge  of  the 
Lord,  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea. 


1823 J  Address  by  Rev.  G.  Upfold.  101 

Such,  my  brethren,  is  the  enlivening  spectacle  which  every- 
where meets  our  eyes  and  animates  our  hearts.  And  shall  our 
lethargy  detract  from  the  glory,  and  obscure  the  brightness  of 
this  prospect?  Sensible  as  we  must  be  of  the  value  of  salvation, 
and  the  benefits  of  the  Gospel,  and  knowing,  as  we  do,  the  obliga- 
tion imposed  on  us  to  disseminate  the  knowledge  of  a  crucified 
Saviour,  and  the  wonders  of  redeeming  love;  shall  we  remain 
inactive  spectators  of  this  busy  scene  of  benevolence? 

Shall  the  lamp  of  Christian  zeal  burn  with  a  bright  and  holv 
flame  in  every  heart  but  ours  ?  God  forbid !  Such  apathy  would 
argue  but  a  very  imperfect  conception  of  our  religious  obliga- 
tions, a  very  feeble  sense  of  gratitude  for  mercies  we  receive,  and 
the  exalted  privileges  we  enjoy.  Surely  you  will  not  permit  it 
to  become  an  inmate  of  your  bosom,  nor  suffer  it  to  influence 
your  conduct.  Surely  your  hearts  will  not  refuse  to  respond 
with  good  will  towards  any  plan  which  has  for  its  object  the 
building  up  of  the  Redeemer's  Kingdom,  and  the  promotion  of 
the  present  and  eternal  welfare  of  your  fellow  men. 

In  this  trust  suffer  me  to  direct  you  at  this  time  to  a  specific 
application  of  your  charity  and  solicit  your  patronage  and  sup- 
port for  an  institution  which  in  the  great  work  of  moral  renova- 
tion, holds  out  a  prospect  not  of  remote,  but  of  immediate  and 
certain  and  extensive  benefit. 

This  institution  is  the  Auxiliary  Bible  and  Common  Prayer 
Book  Society  of  this  city;  an  association  which  while  it  refuses 
its  gifts  to  none  who  ask,  directs  its  charitable  efforts  principally 
to  the  relief  of  the  destitute  of  our  own  communion.  In  the  exe- 
cution of  this  charitable  design  it  has  engaged  with  a  zeal  and 
ardour  which  does  it  honour ;  and  the  effects  which  have  already 
been  produced  by  its  work  of  faith  and  labour  of  love  are  numer- 
ous and  beneficial.  We  have  good  reason  to  believe  that,  through 
its  instrumentality,  many  a  benighted  wanderer  has  been  rescued 
from  that  gloomy  path  which  leadeth  down  to  death,  and  been 
brought  to  offer  upon  the  consecrated  altars  of  the  Christian 
Church  "a  free  will  offering  with  a  holy  worship."  We  have 
good  reason  to  think  that  many  a  child  of  sorrow,  and  of  sin, 
hath  been  comforted  by  its  benevolence ;  and  many  a  broken  heart 
healed,  and  taught  to  look  up  with  the  confidence  of  faith,  and 
the  assurance  of  hope  to  a  reconciled  God;  that  many  who 
never  knew  a  Saviour's  name,  have  been  made  acquainted  with 


192  Address  by  Rev.  G.  Upfold.  [1823 

his  saving  grrace,  and  interested  in  that  great  covenant  of  mercy, 
whose  blessings  are  better  than  Hfe  itself.  But  we  will  not  detain 
you,  brethren,  by  descanting  on  the  beneficial  influence  this 
Society  has  exerted,  and  the  good  it  has  done.  We  turn  to  what 
constitutes  a  more  important  topic  now — its  present  prospects. 

These,  alas,  are  marked  with  a  character  of  hopelessness, 
which  was  it  not  for  the  expectation  of  your  generous  aid,  would 
almost  induce  an  abandonment  of  its  efforts.  Holding  forth  the 
word  of  life  in  intimate  connection  with  the  Church  of  God,  the 
organization  of  this  Society  was  hailed  with  rapture  by  the 
friends  of  religion,  and  the  Church,  as  affording  an  animating 
promise  of  extensive  benefit. 

Calling  forth  the  pious  zeal  of  the  younger  members  of  our 
Communion,  and  engaging  them  in  deeds  of  noble  achievement 
in  the  best  of  all  causes,  it  formed  a  new  era  in  the  history  of 
our  exertions  for  the  amelioration  of  the  spiritual  condition  of 
our  destitute  brethren,  and  this  anticipation  has  been  more  than 
realized.  The  efforts  of  its  indefatigable  managers  in  the  distri- 
bution of  the  Bible  and  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  have  given 
rise  to  other  efficient  measures;  and  the  zeal  of  our  young  men, 
thus  called  into  activity  has  been  directed  to  other  objects  of 
primary  importance  in  the  diocese,  which  have  been  productive 
of  and  still  promise  the  happiest  results.  Out  of  their  active  par- 
ticipation in  the  work  of  Christian  benevolence,  has  arisen  the 
Missionary  Society,  with  its  several  auxiliary  associations,  which 
now  afford  not  a  little  aid  to  ecclesiastical  authority  in  meeting 
the  demands  which  are  constantly  made  for  ministerial  service  by 
our  destitute  congregations.  Thus  useful  in  its  own  particular 
sphere  of  operation,  and  eliciting  other  means  of  doing  good,  the 
Society  had  for  a  time  no  reason  to  complain  of  a  want  of  encour- 
agement or  support.  It  grew  up  like  a  well-watered  plant,  shot 
deep  its  roots,  rose  high,  and  bid  fair  for  fruitfulness.  But  just 
as  it  began  to  tower  in  increasing  luxuriance  and  strength,  and 
to  promise  ere  long  to  become  the  pride  of  the  forest,  and  the 
prince  among  the  neighbouring  trees,  the  axe  is  laid  at  its  root — 
a  fatal  blow  threatened — and  all  its  branching  honours  about  to 
be  prostrated  in  the  dust.  A  melancholy  reverse  has  taken  place 
in  its  means  and  prospects  of  usefulness;  and  instead  of  the 
gratulatory  accents  with  which  it  has  before  greeted  your  ears, 
of  good  done  and  greater  good  in  anticipation,  it  comes  to  you 


1823]  Address  by  Rev.  G.  Upfold.  198 

now  with  a  tale  of  destitution,  of  neglect,  of  blighted  prospects 
and  paralyzed  exertions.  With  an  increasing  demand  upon  its 
bounty  and  an  extended  field  of  usefulness,  the  Society  for  the 
past  year  has  been  obliged  to  remain  comparatively  idle,  for  the 
want  of  pecuniary  means  to  carry  on  its  operations ;  and  a  dimin- 
ished subscription  list  and  an  exhausted  treasury  afford  but  little 
•encouragement  for  future  exertion. 

"Until  the  last  month,"  says  the  very  able  and  eloquent  Annual 
Report,  "not  a  single  Bible  or  Prayer  Book  had  issued  from  our 
Depository,  during  the  whole  of  the  past  year,  and  unless  Church- 
men feel  it  their  duty  to  renew  and  extend  their  aid,  the  Board 
of  Managers  must  yield  to  the  prevailing  apathy ;  they  must  close 
their  ears  to  the  calls  for  aid,  and  shut  the  doors  of  their  Deposi- 
tory against  the  demand  for  that  knowledge  which  maketh  'wise 
unto  salvation.'  " 

And  shall  these  things  be  so?  Shall  a  zeal  so  holy,  so  well 
directed,  be  suffered  to  expend  itself  in  fruitless  wishes  for  want 
of  means  to  carry  its  designs  into  effect?  Shall  this  Society  be 
suffered  to  languish  and  die  for  want  of  patronage? 

Will  you  as  Churchmen,  as  Christians,  permit  an  institution  so 
eminently  useful  in  doing  good,  so  well  calculated  to  disseminate 
the  glad  tidings  of  salvation,  and  shed  on  the  minds  of  the  ignor- 
ant and  destitute  the  cheering  radiance  of  pure  and  undefiled 
religion,  to  suspend  its  efforts?  In  the  language  of  a  former 
appeal — Shall  this  Society  in  vain  address  you  their  supplica- 
tions for  relief  for  those  who  are  treading  the  thorny  ways  of 
wretchedness,  and  the  dark  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death  ?  Shall 
the  beacon  which  your  former  bounty  has  erected  to  light  the 
traveller  on  his  way — now,  when  the  solitary  places  have  been 
made  glad  by  its  rays  and  its  beams  have  begun  to  shed  a  light 
of  glory  on  the  ocean  and  the  wilderness  ? 

We  will  not  willingly  believe,  my  brethren,  that  your  support 
has  been  or  will  continue  to  be  withheld  from  the  very  deserving 
institution  because  in  comparison  with  some  other  plans  which 
now  engage  the  public  attention  it  is  exclusive  in  its  object ;  and 
that  you  deem  it  a  violation  of  Christian  charity  to  contribute 
your  aid  to  the  furtherance  of  its  philanthropic  designs.  We  hope 
you  are  not  afraid  of  the  imputation  of  bigotry,  in  consecrating 
your  bounty  to  subserve  the  interests  of  your  own  Church,  and 
to  supply  the  crying  and  urgent  wants  of  the  destitute  of  your 
(13) 


194  Address  by  Rev.  G.  Upfold.  [182^ 

own  household.  Christian  charity  is  not  necessarily  of  that  dif- 
fusive nature  which  some  would  represent  it  to  be.  Such  was 
not  the  light  in  which  it  was  viewed  and  practiced  by  the  holy 
men  of  old.  An  inspired  apostle  expressly  teaches  us,  that  while 
we  "do  good  unto  all  men"  we  should  do  good  "especially  unto 
them  who  are  of  the  household  of  faith."  And  though  it  is  now 
the  custom  of  some  in  the  exuberance  of  their  charity,  to  reverse 
the  order  of  the  admonition,  we  trust  you  will  not  jeopardize  the 
spiritual  welfare  of  your  brethren  of  the  same  family  for  the  sake 
of  a  little  ephemeral  popularity  with  other  denominations;  nor 
be  induced  by  their  prevalent  flattery  of  the  day,  of  being  liberal 
in  your  sentiments,  and  Catholic  in  your  efforts,  to  refrain  from 
directing  a  part  at  least  of  these  efforts,  and  giving  a  portion  of 
your  bounty  to  objects  connected  with  your  own  communion,  and 
thereby  justly  exhibiting  strong  and  peculiar  claims  to  your  re- 
gard and  patronage.  It  cannot  be  that  you  will  so  determine. 
No;  you  will  enable  these  zealous  individuals  by  your  generous 
bounty  to  resume  their  active  and  beneficent  labours  and  to  con- 
tinue to  hold  forth  the  "word  of  life."  You  will  enable  them  to 
persevere  in  their  work  of  faith  and  labour  of  love,  "to  continue 
to  cheer  the  hearts  of  the  "mourners  in  Zion,"  to  give  light  to 
them  who  sit  in  the  darkness  and  shadow  of  death,"  to  reclaim 
the  sinner  from  the  error  of  his  ways;  and  to  shed  the  radiance 
of  evangelical  truth,  and  the  purity  of  Christian  worship,  on  the 
remotest  districts  of  our  land — are  we  mistaken  in  this  charitable 
conjecture?  Is  there  no  Christian  feeling  in  this  assembly?  No 
sympathy  for  spiritual  misery  and  destitution ;  no  concern  for 
God's  glory,  the  prosperity  of  his  Church,  and  the  good  of  men? 
Shall  immortal  souls  be  jeopardized  through  your  indifference? 
Walking  in  the  fulness  of  the  heavenly  light,  and  enjoying  those 
inestimable  privileges  of  which  so  many  of  your  fellow  creatures 
are  deprived,  and  which  their  poverty  at  least  prevents  them 
from  obtaining,  will  you  refuse  to  impart  of  your  abundance  to 
their  necessities?    O  let  it  be  favourable! 

Withhold  not  your  boon  of  charity  from  this  deserving  insti- 
tution; but  let  your  present  bounty  be  abundant,  for  it  is  much 
needed,  and  will  be  faithfully  applied;  and  let  our  names  be 
again  inscribed  on  the  Society's  list  of  contributors,  your  best 
wishes    follow    these    praiseworthy    efforts,    and    your    fervent 


1823]  Thirteenth  Annual  Report.  105 

prayers  ascend  to  the  mercy-seat  of  God  for  a  blessing  on  their 
pious  undertaking.     Amen/ 

The  work  of  the  parent  Society  had  been  continued  along  the 
lines  it  had  marked  out  for  itself.  By  mutual  agreement  and 
forbearance  the  two  societies  did  not  interfere  with  each  other, 
but  were  mutually  strengthened. 

The  meetings  of  the  Managers  seem  to  have  been  formal  and 
little  more  than  routine  matters  were  brought  before  the  Board, 
most  of  the  work  being  done  by  the  Agent. 

New  York,  Wednesday,  Feb.  5,  1823. 

A  stated  meeting  of  the  Board  was  held  this  day  in  Trinity 
Church. 

The  Agent  submitted  his  report,  from  which  it  appeared  that 
246  Bibles  and  615  i8mo.  Prayer  Books  have  been  gratuitously 
distributed  during  the  past  year. 

The  report  was  accepted. 

The  Treasurer  submitted  his  report  and  account  current,  from 
which  it  appeared  that  the  receipts  into  the  disposable  fund,  dur- 
ing the  past  year  were  $379.48,  and  into  the  permanent  fund  $15 ; 
and  the  expenditures  $488.61.  It  also  appeared  from  the  same 
report,  that  owing  to  the  prevalence  of  yellow  fever,  the  sub- 
scriptions of  members  for  the  past  year  had  not  been  collected. 

New  York,  Tuesday,  Feb.  25,  1823. 

This  being  the  day  appointed  by  the  Constitution,  the  Annual 
Meeting  of  the  Society  was  held  in  Trinity  Church  at  12  o'clock 
M.  The  President  being  absent,  the  Rev.  William  Creighton 
was  called  to  the  Chair. 

The  minutes  of  the  last  meeting  of  the  Society  were  read  and 
approved. 

The  Thirteenth  Annual  Report  of  the  Board  of  Managers  was 
then  read. 

On  motion,  Resolved,  that  the  report  of  the  Managers  be  ac- 
cepted, and  be  printed  under  the  direction  of  the  Board. 

The  Society  proceeded  to  the  election  of  ten  laymen  to  be 
associated  with  the  Episcopal  clergy  of  the  City,  as  Managers 
for  the  ensuing  year. 

The  following  gentlemen  were  chosen :     Matthew  Clarkson, 


I.    The  Christian  Journal,  May,  1823.    Volume  VII.  No.  5,  pp.  129-134. 


196  Thirteenth  Annual  Report.  [1823 

John  Onderdonk,  John  SHdell,  Henry  Rogers,  George  Dominick, 
GuHan  Ludlow,  Isaac  Carow,  Richard  Whiley,  Henry  McFar- 
lan,  Richard  Piatt. 

The  Society  adjourned. 

The  following  is  the  Report : 

Thirteenth  Annual  Report  of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the 
New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society. 

Another  year,  the  Divine  Head  of  the  Church  has  honoured 
this  Society  with  being  an  instrument  for  promoting  the  great 
ends  designed  by  the  establishment  of  his  Kingdom. 

Two  hundred  and  forty-six  Bibles  and  six  hundred  and  fifteen 
Prayer  Books  have  been  distributed  gratuitously.  They  have 
gone  into  various  parts  of  our  State;  and  have  conduced,  we 
trust,  to  disseminate  a  knowledge  of  the  true  God  and  of  Jesus 
Christ  whom  he  hath  sent — of  the  doctrines  and  precepts  of 
his  religion  and  the  nature  and  constitution  of  the  Church,  which 
he  has  established  as  the  channel  of  his  grace  and  mercy  to  a 
fallen  world. 

In  promoting  such  objects  we  perform  the  best  species  of 
charity.  We  improve  the  condition  of  our  fellow  men  as  intelli- 
gent, and  promote  their  affection  as  immortal  beings.  We  rescue 
them  from  the  degradation  and  misery  of  irreligion  and  vice,  and 
open  to  them  the  pure  pleasures  and  heavenly  consolations  of 
piety  here  and  its  infinite  reward  hereafter.  We  make  those 
who  might  become  the  pests  and  disgrace  of  society  creditable 
and  useful  to  it.  We  promote  all  the  good  to  individuals  and  the 
community,  which  cannot  but  flow  from  the  extension  of  a 
Church,  holding  and  disseminating  evangelical  truth  in  its  primi- 
tive purity,  and  dispensing  in  the  divinely  appointed  way  the 
means  and  pledges  of  salvation  provided  by  the  Redeemer  of 
mankind.  And  if  he  has  promised  to  regard  as  extended  to 
himself  the  relief  which  we  afford  to  the  bodily  necessities  of  our 
brethren,  we  surely  may  hope  that  when  we  bestow  our  efforts 
on  turning  men  from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  power  of 
Satan  to  God;  reclaiming  them  from  the  way  of  spiritual  and 
eternal  destruction,  and  presenting  them  to  Christ  to  be  sancti- 
fied by  his  grace,  and  saved  by  his  merits,  he  will  mercifully  re- 
ceive it  as  an  offering  to  himself.  We  may  surely  trust  that  he 
will  receive  as  done  to  him  whatever  we  do  to  promote  the  unity, 
purity  and  prosperity  of  the  Church,  which  he  loved,  and  for 
which  he  gave  himself. 


1823]  Thirteenth  Annual  Report.  197 

Of  this  character  we  humbly  hope  are  the  operations  of  our 
Society.  The  Board  would  have  rejoiced  in  the  means  of  having 
them  more  extensive.  They  have  done  what  they  could.  They 
have  endeavoured  faithfully  to  apply  the  resources  with  which 
they  were  provided;  and  hope  that  the  prayers  of  their  fellow 
members  will  be  united  with  their  own,  that  the  divine  blessing 
may  attend  their  efforts.  The  operations  of  the  past  year  make 
the  aggregate  of  distributions  by  the  Society,  since  its  establish- 
ment, 10,707  copies  of  the  Bible,  the  New  Testament,  and  the 
Book  of  Common  Prayer. 

In  consequence  of  the  sickness  which  prevailed  in  the  city  last 
fall,  the  subscriptions  of  members  in  the  past  year  have  not  been 
collected.  Their  collection  will  be  combined  with  that  of  those 
due  for  the  current  year.  The  Board  would  express  the  hope 
that  all  the  present  members  will  gladly  continue  their  patronage 
to  so  excellent  an  object,  and  that  others  will  be  added  to  the 
number  who  thus  lend  to  the  Lord. 

An  immediate  advantage  to  the  members  and  their  families 
will  be  found  in  the  allowance  of  one  Bible  or  one  octavo  Prayer 
Book  for  every  dollar  thus  contributed.  For  the  reason  stated 
above  the  receipts  into  our  Treasury  during  the  past  year  have 
been  small,  being  limited  to  the  permanent  fund,  which  fund 
amounts  to  $5,374.56.  The  Board  at  its  last  meeting  appropri- 
ated $450  to  the  procuring  of  Bibles  and  Prayer  Books  for  dis- 
tribution. May  the  blessing  of  God  go  with  them,  and  sanctify 
them  to  his  glory,  the  good  of  his  Church,  and  the  spiritual  and 
eternal  welfare  of  his  people. 

Signed  by  order  of  the  Board. 

Thomas  Lyell,  Chainnan  pro  tem.^ 

The  Board  organized  for  the  year  three  days  after  the  annual 
meeting. 

At  a  regular  meeting  of  the  Board  held  February  28,  1823, 
the  following  officers  were  elected  for  the  ensuing  year:  The 
Rev.  Benj.  T.  Onderdonk,  Secretary;  Gulian  Ludlow,  Treas- 
urer; Henry  McFarlan,  Agent. 

The  Chairman  appointed  the  following  gentlemen  to  be  asso- 
ciated with  the  President,  the  Secretary  and  the  Agent,  as  the 
Standing  Committee  for  the  ensuing  year:  The  Rev.  Thomas 
Lyell,  D.D.,  Henry  Rogers,  John  Slidell. 

I.    The  Christian  Journal,  April,  1823.    Volume  VII.  No.  4,  pp.  120,  I2I. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

CONTENTS. 

Bishop  Hobart's  Address  to  Diocesan  Convention  of  1822  —  Criticisms  on 
It  —  Attack  by  William  Jay  —  Jay's  Interest  in  Bible  Societies  —  His  Letter 
signed  "A  Churchman  of  the  Diocess  of  New  York"  —  Extracts  from  It  — 
Bishop  Hobart  Replies  under  the  Signature,  "Corrector"  —  Correspondence 
Between  the  New  York  Auxiliary  Society  and  Dr.  Milnor  —  Bishop  Hobart 
Exposes  the  Fallacies  —  Misrepresentations  —  Rhapsody  and  Ostentation  — 
The  Want  of  Delicacy  —  The  Ungentlemanly  and  Unchristian  Language  — 
Of  Jay's  Letter. 

APPARENTLY  there  was  no  public  comment  upon  the 
strong  and  bold  utterance  of  the  Bishop  concerning 
Bible  Societies  in  his  address  of  1822,  until  after  the 
publication  of  the  Journal  of  the  Convention  of  1822. 
His  opposition  had  been  so  frequently  expressed,  both  publicly 
and  privately,  and  attempts  made  by  the  advocates  of  those  So- 
cieties to  prove  him  entirely  in  the  wrong  as  we  have  seen  in  the 
course  of  this  narrative,  that  it  is  most  remarkable  that  the  par- 
agraph in  his  Convention  address  should  have  been  made  the 
occasion  of  a  violent  attack  upon  his  principles  and  methods. 
The  author  of  it  was  a  son  of  that  eminent  jurist  and  statesman, 
John  Jay,  who  had  served  both  the  State  and  Nation  with  a  pure 
and  disinterested  patriotism.  While  the  son  had  inherited  the 
legal  acumen  of  his  father,  he  was  more  ready  than  the  Chief 
Justice  to  engage  in  public  discussion  of  measures  and  insti- 
tutions which  he  approved  or  disapproved  of.  His  interest 
in  Bible  Societies  had  been  early  shown,  and  a  pamphlet 
from  his  pen  aided  in  the  foundation  of  the  American  Bible 
Society.  It  was  in  the  early  spring  of  1823  that  he  issued  "A 
Letter  to  the  Right  Reverend  Bishop  Hobart"  under  the  signa- 
ture of  "A  Churchman  of  the  Diocess  of  New  York,"  The  con- 
troversy excited  by  it  was  the  last  in  which  the  Bishop  of  New 
York  engaged.  Its  ultimate  effect  was  to  strengthen  the  cause 
he  advocated  and  increased  the  interest  of  Churchmen  in  the 
recently  formed  Bible  and  Prayer  Book  Societies,  and  particu- 
larly in  the  parent  Society.     Bishop  Hobart's  biographer  says: 

198 


1823J  William  Jay.  199 

"The  address  was  made  the  occasion  of  an  attack  on  the  part  of 
an  anoymous  writer  under  the  signature  of  a  Churchman  of  the 
Diocese  of  New-York,  in  a  temper  and  style  which  were  alto- 
gether unsuitable  to  his  own  character  and  pretensions,  to  the 
subject  itself,  and  to  the  sacred  views  and  dignity  of  the  person 
assailed.  It  is  this  subject,  which,  provoking  recrimination, 
often  renders  religious  controversy  so  odious  as  to  indispose  men 
to  inquiries  after  the  truth,  and  to  make  them  prefer  ignorance 
and  error  to  discord  and  strife.  The  time,  we  hope,  will  come, 
when  these  discussions  will  be  conducted  in  a  better  spirit,  and 
when  the  defence  of  truth  may  be  reconciled  with  charity  and 
peace.  But  though  no  circumstances  can  altogether  justify  the 
harsh  tone  which  too  commonly  prevails  in  controversial  writ- 
ings, yet  if  the  misrepresentations,  fallacies,  the  disingenuous- 
ness,  the  indelicacy,  the  discourtesy,  and  intolerance,  with  which 
Bishop  Hobart  charged  'a  Churchman  of  the  Diocese  of  New- 
York'  in  those  masterly  pieces  signed  'Corrector,'  were  in  the 
main,  fairly  made  out ;  and  such,  so  far  as  I  have  learned,  though 
not  the  universal,  was  the  very  general  opinion  of  those  who 
had  read  the  controversy ;  then  it  is  not  surprising  that  under  the 
peculiar  provocations,  he  felt  a  degree  of  honest  indignation  at 
this  unprovoked  attack,  and  that  he  treated  his  assailant  with 
severity  and  scorn." 

Note.  *Tn  the  heat  of  the  controversy,  and  with  a  view  of 
strengthening  his  argument,  the  Bishop  made  some  personal  allu- 
sions to  the  family  of  'a  Churchman  of  the  Diocese  of  New- 
York,'  w^hich  I  have  always  regretted,  and  of  which  it  seems 
proper  to  state,  I  entirely  disapprove."^ 

Mr.  Bayard  Tuckerman  in  his  recent  life  of  Judge  Jay  gives 
a  modern  view  of  his  action  in  the  matter. 

"An  interesting  incident  in  this  early  period  of  his  life  was  the 
part  which  he  bore  in  the  founding  of  the  American  Bible  Society, 
in  organizing  its  machinery  for  the  immense  work  which  it  had 
to  perform,  and  in  vindicating  the  principles  of  the  Society 
against  the  attacks  of  the  opposing  party  in  his  own  Church.  In 
the  struggle  Jay  proved  his  independence  of  character,  and  cour- 
age of  conviction  which  afterwards  distinguished  him  through 
the  seeming  hopeless  years  of  anti-slavery  effort. 


I.    Berrian's  "Memoir."    Volume  I.  pp.  264,  265. 


200  William  Jay.  [1823 

The  general  distribution  of  Bibles  in  our  day  makes  it  difficult 
to  appreciate  the  limited  supply,  the  high  cost  and  consequent 
rarity  of  the  Bible  when  this  Society  began  its  work.  The  High 
Church  party  in  New  York  were  opposed  to  the  association  of 
Episcopalians  with  other  Christians  to  circulate  the  Bible,  and 
opposed  even  to  the  distribution  of  the  Bible  unless  accompanied 
by  the  Prayer  Book  as  an  interpreter.  In  these  views  they  were 
vigorously  supported  by  their  distinguished  leader.  Bishop  John 
Henry  Hobart. 

Jay,  who  had  inherited  with  his  Huguenot  blood  a  faith  in  the 
Bible  not  to  be  restrained  by  ecclesiastical  assumption,  was  an 
officer  of  the  West  Chester  Bible  Society,  and  deeply  interested 
in  the  work.  On  the  appearance  of  a  pastoral  letter  from  Bishop 
Hobart  in  which  the  High  Church  views  were  advocated  he  pub- 
lished a  pamphlet  showing  that  it  was  the  interest  and  duty  of 
Episcopalians  to  unite  with  their  fellow  Christians  of  all  denomi- 
nations in  spreading  the  knowledge  of  the  Word  of  God." 

This  pamphlet  brought  him  into  an  active  conflict  with  the  emi- 
nent Bishop  which  lasted  for  several  years,  and  taught  him  that  a 
philanthropic  cause  even  so  plainly  meritorious  was  not  be  be  car- 
ried on  without  the  opposition  of  powerful  conservative  interests. 
Convinced  that  a  national  society  could  accomplish  more  than 
the  local  and  scattered  State  Bible  Societies,  Jay  published 
a  pamphlet  in  1816  which  showed  the  imperative  importance  of 
the  work,  and  urged  united  action.  At  the  same  time  the  vener- 
able Elias  Boudinot,  of  New  Jersey,  was  exerting  himself  to  the 
same  end.  When  he  received  a  letter  from  Jay  enclosing  the 
pamphlet,  he  thus  welcomed  his  youthful  ally:  "The^e  precious 
moments  I  have  devoted  to  a  full  consideration  of  one  of  the 
greatest  and  most  interesting  subjects  that  has  ever  concerned 
the  children  of  men.  We  are  feeble,  scarcely  able  to  think  or 
write,  my  efforts  promised  but  little  in  the  cause,  when  your 
welcome  and  unexpected  letter  was  brought  in.  My  drooping 
spirits  were  raised  and  my  mind  greatly  revived.  I  could  not 
help  giving  glory  to  God  for  the  great  encouragement  afforded 
me  to  press  in  this  glorious  cause,  when  I  thus  behold  his 
special  mercy  in  raising  up  so  powerful  a  support  in  this  joyous 
work  and  labour  of  love."  In  the  same  year  the  American  Bible 
Society  was  formed  with  the  assistance  of  the  best  names  in  the 
country. 


1823]  William  Jay.  201 

Notwithstanding  the  honourable  support  given  to  the  Society, 
it  had  to  resist  a  carefully  organized  assault  on  the  part  of  Bishop 
Hobart  and  an  influential  portion  of  his  clergy  aimed  at  the  vital 
principle  on  which  the  success  of  the  movement  depended,  the 
cordial  union  of  all  denominations. 

Jay's  previous  training  in  the  same  field  of  controversy,  his 
staunch  devotion  at  once  to  his  cause  and  to  his  Church,  desig- 
nated him  as  the  proper  person  to  carry  on  the  war  of  letters  and 
pamphlets  which  ensued. 

Although  pitted  against  an  adversary  to  whom  age,  experi- 
ence and  station  gave  great  advantages,  he  acquitted  himself 
with  credit,  displaying  literary  and  reasoning  powers  which  were 
soon  to  exert  a  potent  influence  upon  the  great  moral  issue  of 
our  time.^ 

In  the  preface  to  Mr.  Tuckerman's  book  the  Hon.  John  Jay, 
formerly  minister  from  the  United  States  to  Austria,  and  a  son 
of  Judge  Jay,  says : — 

"Judge  Jay's  Memoir  on  the  formation  of  a  national  Bible  So- 
ciety, which  in  1816  so  warmly  encouraged  the  hopes  of  the 
venerable  Boudinot  were  followed  by  spirited  controversial 
pamphlets  with  an  antagonist  as  able  and  eminent  as  Bishop 
Hobart.  The  correspondence  after  Jay's  first  letter  was  marked 
by  an  unusual  sharpness,  which  happily  did  not  prevent  my  cher- 
ished and  lamented  friend,^  the  son  and  namesake  of  the  Bishop, 
from  becoming  in  later  years  sincerely  attached  to  his  father's 
antagonist.  It  was  a  contest  in  which  Jay  vindicated  the  right 
of  Churchmen  to  assist  in  the  distribution  of  the  Bible,  and  antici- 
pated in  this  his  similar  efforts  for  a  lifetime  to  secure  the  united 
action  of  all  good  citizens,  without  regard  to  creed  or  politics  in 
practicable  schemes  for  the  peace  and  happiness  of  mankind.'" 

This  sketch  condensed  from  the  "American  Encyclopaedia" 
gives  some  particulars  of  the  varied  and  useful  life  of  Judge  Jay : 

William,  an  eminent  jurist  and  philanthropist,  born  in 
New  York,  June  16,  1789;  died  at  Bedford,  New  York,  October 


1.  William  Jay  and   the    Constitutional   Movement    for  the   Abolition  of 
Slavery.   By  Bayard  Tuckerman,  with  a  preface  by  John  Jay,  pp.  lo,  1 1,  12,  13. 

2.  John  Henry  Hobart,  the  youngest  son  of  the  Bishop. 

3.  Preface,  by  the  Hon.  John  Jay,  LL.D.     Dated  Bedford  House,  New 
York,  May,  1893.    p.  4- 


202  William  Jay.  [182^ 

14,  1858.  He  received  his  early  education  at  Albany,  and  gradu- 
ated at  Yale  College  in  1807.  He  studied  law  at  Albany,  but 
having  injured  his  eyes  by  intense  study,  relinquished  the  prac- 
tice of  the  profession,  and  retired  to  Bedford,  where  he  assisted 
in  the  management  of  the  large  landed  estate  which  descended  to 
him  on  the  death  of  his  father  in  1829.  In  1810  he  began  his 
career  of  philanthropic  effort  in  the  founding  of  the  American 
Bible  Society,  and  was  its  recognized  champion  against  the 
attacks  of  Bishop  Hobart  and  other  members  of  the  Episcopal 
Church,  to  which  Jay  himself  belonged,  during  a  controversy 
which  lasted  many  years. 

As  President  of  the  West  Chester  Bible  Society  he  delivered 
a  long  series  of  annual  addresses.  He  organized  a  society  for 
temperance  reform,  in  181 5.  He  also  took  an  active  part  in  the 
tract,  missionary  and  educational  movements  of  the  day,  and  was 
frequently  President  of  the  Sunday  School  and  agricultural  socie- 
ties of  his  county.  In  1818  he  was  appointed  a  Judge  of  the 
Court  of  Common  Pleas,  and  in  1820  was  made  the  first  Judge 
of  West  Chester  County,  which  office  he  held  until  1842,  when 
he  was  superseded  on  account  of  his  anti-slavery  opinions.  In 
1835,  when  the  legislature  had  in  contemplation  a  law  restricting 
freedom  of  speech  on  the  subject  of  slavery,  he  advised  the 
Grand  Jury  that  it  would  be  the  duty  of  every  citizen  to  resist 
such  a  law  as  a  violation  of  the  Constitution.  The  same  year  on 
behalf  of  the  executive  committee  of  the  Anti-Slavery  Society, 
he  prepared  a  reply  to  the  charges  against  the  Abolitionists,  and 
published  a  work  entitled  "An  Inquiry  into  the  Character  of  the 
American  Colonization  and  Anti-Slavery  Societies." 

In  1838  he  published  "A  View  of  the  Action  of  the  Federal 
Government  on  Behalf  of  Slavery." 

In  1843-4  he  visited  Europe  and  proceeded  thence  to  Egypt, 
where  he  made  the  acquaintance  of  Sir  Gardner  Wilkinson  in 
conjunction  with  whom  he  investigated  the  subject  of  Egyptian 
slavery.  He  was  for  some  years  President  of  the  American 
Peace  Society,  and  in  1848  published  a  volume  entitled  "War  and 
Peace :  the  Evils  of  the  First  with  a  Plea  for  Supporting  the 
Last,"  which  was  reprinted  by  the  London  Peace  Society.  His 
plan  consisted  in  treaty  stipulations  for  the  settlement  of  differ- 
ences by  arbitration. 

The  Committee  on  Foreign  Relations  of  the  United  States 


1823]  William  Jay.  203 

Senate,  to  whom  a  memorial  on  the  subject  was  referred,  reported 
in  favour  of  his  plan;  and  Mr.  Cobden  wrote  to  him : 

"If  your  government  is  prepared  to  insert  an  Arbitration  clause 
in  pending  treaties  I  am  confident  it  would  be  accepted  by  our 
negotiators." 

By  his  will  he  left  a  bequest  of  $i,ooo  for  "promoting  the 
safety  and  comfort  of  fugitive  slaves." 

His  publications  on  all  subjects  were  43  in  number;  many  of 
which  were  widely  circulated  and  exercised  much  influence  on 
public  opinion.  His  largest  work  was  the  "Life  and  Writings  of 
John  Jay."     (2  vols.    8vo.    New  York:  1833.)^ 

We  have  thought  it  fitting  to  give  the  "Open  Letters"  between 
William  Jay  and  Bishop  Hobart  almost  at  full  length  not  only 
because  they  explain  some  of  the  hindrances  to  the  successful 
working  of  all  Prayer  Book  Societies  at  that  time,  but  also  be- 
cause they  form  part  of  the  wider  field  of  Church  History  of 
that  epoch.  Jay  was  throughout  his  life  the  bitter  opponent  of 
Bishop  Hobart,  and  it  was  enough  for  the  Bishop  to  advocate 
any  cause  or  measure  for  Jay  immediately  to  espouse  the  very 
opposite  side. 

And,  since  Hobart  was  identified  with  the  fortunes  of  Trinity 
Church  the  hostility  of  Jay  and  his  friends  naturally  extended 
to  every  measure  proposed  by  that  Church.  While  the  tone  of 
the  controversy  has  been  somewhat  softened  yet  the  feeling 
against  the  principles  advocated  by  Bishop  Hobart  has  during 
all  these  years  only  slumbered  and  the  antagonism  between  the 
two  schools  of  thought  represented  by  William  Jay  and  John 
Henry  Hobart  is  as  ready  now  as  ever  to  break  out  with  all  its 
old  time  rancour.  Then,  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  besides 
the  personal  equation  there  was  the  radical  difference  of  belief 
in  the  character  of  the  Church.  Bishop  Hobart  believed  in  the 
continuity  of  the  Church  and  its  oneness  with  that  of  Apostolic 
times.  William  Jay  and  the  Rev.  Dr.  Milnor  took  the  more 
protestant  view.  It  was  these  divergent  opinions  that  lay,  we 
believe,  at  the  root  of  the  whole  controversy,  and  these  opinions 
are  now  as  then  irreconcilable. 

Jay's  "Letter"  setting  forth  the  attitude  Churchmen  should 
have  to  Bible  Societies  commences  with  this  paragraph : 

I.  See  New  American  Encyclopaedia.  Revised  Edition.  Volume  IX. 
pp.  583.  584. 


204  '    Jay's  "Letter."  [1823 

Right  Reverend  Sir. 

However  much,  as  a  Churchman,  I  may  deplore  the  opposition 
of  my  Bishop  to  the  distribution  of  the  uncommented  Scriptures ; 
yet  as  a  friend  to  the  American  Bible  Society,  I  cannot  regret 
that  you  have  thought  proper  to  renew  hostilities  against  that 
institution.  You  have  engaged  in  a  warfare,  in  which  the  cause 
of  the  Bible,  has  been  always  crowned  with  victory-,  and  in  which 
the  mortification  of  defeat  has  ever  been  imbittered  by  the  con- 
viction, that  the  power  of  the  victor,  has  been  confirmed  and  ex- 
tended by  the  very  endeavour  to  shake  it.  In  such  a  warfare,  no 
friend  of  the  Society  can  for  a  moment  hesitate  to  engage, 
through  apprehension  of  the  issue — nay,  the  very  stripling  whose 
youthful  limbs  refuse  the  burden  of  the  coat  of  mail,  and  the 
sword  of  the  warrior,  may  fearlessly  enter  the  field,  trusting 
alone  to  that  God  in  whose  cause  he  combats;  and  with  no 
armour  but  truth,  and  no  weapon  but  common  sense,  he  will 
most  assuredly  vanquish  the  proudest  Goliath  that  may  dare  him 
to  the  fight. 

The  only  enemies  the  Bible  Society  has  reason  to  fear,  are  inat- 
tention to  its  claims,  and  ignorance  of  its  proceedings.  Whoever 
subdues  these  foes,  whoever  brings  home  to  the  consideration, 
and  to  the  Christian  sympathy  of  the  community — the  holy  pur- 
pose— the  pure  and  sacred  fellowship,  the  stupendous  labours, 
and  the  mighty  triumphs  of  the  Bible  Society,  ought  to  be  en- 
rolled among  its  greatest  benefactors ;  and  few  are  more  deserv- 
ing of  this  distinction  than  the  Bishop  of  New- York. 

It  is  true  that  your  late  charge,  having  been  delivered  in  the  or- 
dinary routine  of  official  duties,  is  not  calculated  to  attract  public 
notice,  and  of  course  to  advance  the  interests  of  the  Society,  as 
was  the  address  which  you  inserted  in  the  newspapers,^  at  the  crit- 
ical moment  when  the  institution,  in  the  feebleness  of  its  infancy, 
was  struggling  for  existence.  The  powerful  patronage  which 
immediately  poured  in  upon  the  Society,  and  the  ardent  zeal  with 
which  many  distinguished  Episcopalians  immediately  espoused 
its  cause,  attest  the  extent  of  the  service  which  you  rendered  on 
that  occasion.  But  although  your  charge  will  not  probably  en- 
gage so  large  a  share  of  the  public  attention  as  was  bestowed 


I.    See  N.  Y.  Evening  Post  of  13th  May,  1816,  two  days  after  the  forma- 
tion of  the  Society, 


1823]  ''Jay's  Letter."  205 

upon  your  address,  it  happily  abounds  in  matter  admirably 
adapted  to  awaken  the  reflections,  and  arrest  the  feelings  of  all 
who  read  it.  A  document  in  which  the  name  of  a  venerable 
Prelate,  who  may  justly  be  styled  the  father  of  the  Bible  Societies 
in  the  United  States,  is  made  use  of  to  sanction  your  opposition — 
a  document  in  which  the  conduct  of  Governor  Jay  and  General 
Clarkson  is  represented  as  erroneous  in  principle,  and  injurious 
in  its  tendency  to  that  Church  which  it  is  admitted  they  adorn; 
because  in  the  evening  of  their  days  they  are  labouring  to  spread 
the  knowledge  of  that  Gospel  which  has  been  the  guide  of  their 
youth,  and  is  now  the  consolation  of  their  old  age — -a  document 
in  which  that  mode  of  disseminating  religious  truth  which  has 
been  officially  and  earnestly  recommended  to  the  Episcopalians  of 
the  United  States  by  their  Bishops  assembled  in  Convention,  is 
denounced  as  a  departure  from  the  apostolic  mode  of  propagating 
Christianity,  as  calculated  to  produce  indifference  to  the  essentials 
of  Christianity,  and  to  weaken  the  zeal  of  Episcopalians  for  the 
ministry,  the  worship  and  the  ordinances  of  their  Church — will 
not  —  cannot  be  read  with  indifference.  Episcopalians  must 
inquire,  are  such  men  as  Governor  Jay  and  General  Clarkson, 
and  a  host  of  others,  whose  piety,  talents  and  rank,  reflect  lustre 
on  our  Church ;  are  they  sapping  her  foundations ;  are  they  vio- 
lating their  duty  as  Christians  and  as  Churchmen?  Have  our 
Bishops  indeed  betrayed  their  sacred  trust,  and  are  they  inviting 
us,  by  their  example,  by  their  charges,  and  by  their  pastoral  let- 
ters, to  a  course  of  conduct  erroneous  in  principle,  and  dangerous 
in  tendency  ?  Is  Bishop  Hobart  the  only  wise  and  faithful  shep- 
herd; and  have  White.  Claggett,  Kemp,  Moore,  Griswold, 
Dehon,  and  Chase,  been  only  blind  leaders  of  the  blind?  Such 
inquiries,  Sir,  must  be  made,  and  when  made,  they  must  lead  to 
investigation;  and  what  the  result  of  that  investigation  will  be, 
no  friend  of  the  Society  can  for  a  moment  doubt. 

You  have  thought  proper  to  introduce  into  your  strictures  on 
Bible  Societies  a  long  extract  from  a  late  charge  by  Bishop 
White,  and  although  you  do  not  expressly  inform  us  that  the 
Bishop  concurs  with  you  in  opinion  respecting  these  associations, 
yet  no  stranger  to  his  sentiments  would,  for  an  instant,  hesitate 
in  believing  this  to  be  the  case.  You  preface  the  extract  with 
remarking,  "From  my  official  station,  I  have  so  many  opportuni- 
ties of  observing  the  powerful  claims  of  destitute  congregations 


206  Jay's  *'  Letter."  [182a 

upon  the  zealous  exertions,  and  liberal  contributions  of  their 
brethren,  and  their  wants  so  often  press  upon  my  feelings,  that 
I  cannot  cease  to  lament  that  so  large  a  portion  of  the  bounty  of 
Episcopalians  flows  in  a  channel  over  which  their  own  church  has 
no  control,  and  from  which  it  derives  no  immediate  advantage. 
One  would  think  it  obvious,  that  it  is  the  duty  of  Episcopalians 
consistently  and  zealously  to  bend  all  their  efforts  to  the  advance- 
ment of  their  own  Church,  and  to  'avoid  all  admixture  of  admin- 
istrations,' and  of  exertions,  'in  what  concerns  the  faith,  the  wor- 
ship,' and  ministry  of  the  Church.  On  this  subject,  there  is  so 
much  sound  wisdom,  of  correct  principle,  and  of  decided  and 
true  policy,  united  with  Christian  meekness  and  benevolence,  in 
the  observations  contained  in  a  recent  address  of  the  Bishop  of 
the  Church  in  Pennsylvania  to  the  convention  of  his  diocess,  that 
notwithstanding  their  length,  I  am  induced  to  lay  them  before 
you." 

Here  let  us  pause  to  inquire,  what  is  the  precise  subject  on 
which  Bishop  White  has  displayed  so  much  wisdom  and  policy? 
Surely  it  must  be  the  same  which  causes  your  ceaseless  lamenta- 
tion, and  which  ushers  in  the  extract,  viz.,  "that  so  large  a  por- 
tion of  the  bounty  of  Episcopalians  flows  in  a  channel  over  which 
their  own  Church  has  no  control,  and  from  which  it  derives  no 
immediate  advantage."  Being  thus  led  to  take  it  for  granted, 
that  the  subject  of  Bishop  White's  observations  is  the  injudicious 
direction  given  by  many  Episcopalians  to  their  bounty,  we  are 
prepared  to  apply  every  remark,  so  far  as  it  can  be  applied,  to 
the  union  of  Episcopalians  in  Bible  Societies. 

The  Bishop  commences  with  declaring  in  substance,  that  the 
conduct  becoming  Episcopalians  towards  their  fellow  Christians 
of  other  denominations  is  a  subject  on  which  he  wishes  to  record 
his  opinion.  He  points  out  the  inconveniences  to  be  apprehended 
from  "an  intermixture  of  administrations  in  what  concerns  the 
faith,  the  worship,  or  the  discipline  of  the  Church."  "On  some 
occasions,"  where  this  intermixture  had  been  permitted,  he  says, 
"our  institutions  have  been  treated  with  disrespect,  and  doctrines 
unknown  to  them  taught  within  our  walls."  To  guard  against 
the  imputation  of  bigotry,  the  Bishop  deems  it  necessary  to  be 
more  particular  in  assigning  his  objections  to  this  intermixture, 
and  goes  on  to  show  that  our  Church  differs  essentially  from 
others  in  her  government,  worship,  and  doctrines,  and  that  that 


1823]  Jay's  ♦*  Letter."  207 

liberality  is  to  be  avoided  which  would  surrender  any  of  these 
sacred  possessions.  He  concludes  with  declaring,  that  under  a 
conviction  of  the  truth  and  importance  of  these  sentiments,  he 
has  embodied  them  in  his  charge,  that  they  may  remain  recorded 
upon  the  Journals  of  the  Convention/ 

Judge  Jay  gives  in  detail  the  real  meaning,  as  he  conceives  it 
to  be,  of  Bishop  White's  words,  and  thus  comments  upon  Bishop 
Hobart's  use  of  them.  He  quotes  from  other  portions  the  vener- 
able prelate's  address  and  his  commendation  of  Bible  Societies, 
and  reminds  the  Bishop  of  New  York  that  "Bishop  White  was 
one  of  the  founders  of  the  earliest  Bible  Society  established  in 
this  country ;  that  he  was  placed  at  the  head  of  this  Society,  which 
place  he  still  holds."* 

He  dwells  upon  the  opinion  which  he  says  Bishop  Hobart 
holds  as  to  "the  duty  of  Episcopalians"  to  withhold  any  aid  from 
efforts  for  the  spiritual  and  moral  welfare  of  humanity,  "unless 
such  effort  tend  at  the  same  time  to  the  advancement  of  the  Epis- 
copal Church  in  this  country."  After  sarcastically  alluding  to 
the  Apostolic  command  "to  do  good,"  and  "especially  to  them 
that  are  of  the  household  of  faith,"  he  says  the  liberal  sentiment 
of  Holy  Writ,  which  treated  a  stranger  as  one  born  among  the 
Jews,  would  not  commend  itself  to  Bishop  Hobart  had  they  been 
advanced  by  a  friend  of  the  Bible  Society.  He  gives  at  length 
the  story  of  the  formation  of  the  Mariners'  Church  in  New  York 
City  and  the  public  appeals  to  "Episcopalians"  not  to  support  it, 
as  it  would  not  be  under  Episcopal  superintendence,  or  the  Prayer 
Book  be  used  in  its  services ;  and  claims  this  illustrates  the  Bish- 
op's attitude  to  all  philanthropic  work.  He  contrasts  this  with 
the  more  liberal  view  of  Dr.  Herbert  Marsh,  "the  ablest"  and 
"most  decent  of  the  assailants  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society,  who  recognizes  Christian  unity  outside  Great  Britain  in 
the  circulation  of  the  Bible." 

He  then  takes  up  the  charge  that  these  Societies  are  erroneous 
in  principle,  since  they  separate  the  Word  of  God  from  the 
Church  of  God.  After  declaring  the  enormity  of  such  separa- 
tion and  citing  passages  from  the  Homilies  upon  the  preciousness 
of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  he  thus  proceeds : 


1.  Pages  3,  4,  5,  6. 

2.  Page  7. 


208  Jay's  "Letter."  [1823 

It  would  be  extraordinary,  should  the  members  of  Bible  So- 
cieties, whose  vocation  it  is  to  distribute  Bibles,  he  found  endeav- 
ouring to  separate  the  word  of  God  from  his  Church ;  but  no  less 
extraordinary  must  it  seem  that  ministers  of  the  Gospel,  dignitar- 
ies of  Protestant  Churches  should  be  engaged  in  such  an  under- 
taking. But  alas,  Sir,  how  extraordinary  and  humiliating  may 
be  the  fact,  still  it  is  but  too  true,  that  such  ministers  and  such 
dignitaries  are  to  be  found :  but  I  rejoice  that  they  will  be  looked 
for  in  vain  among  the  supporters  of  Bible  Societies. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Edward  Maltby,  Prebendary  of  Lincoln,  some- 
time since  published  a  work  in  opposition  to  the  British  and  For- 
eign Bible  Society.^ 

He  objects  to  that  institution  because  they  distribute  the  whole 
Bible.  "The  ivhole  of  the  Bible,"  he  contends,  is  neither  "neces- 
sary" nor  "could  be  intended  for  the  use  of  all  "classes  of  man- 
kind." "Some  of  these  books"  (of  the  Old  and  New  Testament) 
"are,"  he  declares,  "exclusively  fit  for  the  meditation  of  the  learn- 
ed ;  and  others  though  comparatively  forming  a  small  portion  are 
equally  important  to  the  vulgar,  and  to  the  well  informed."  "Out 
of  sixty-six  books  which  form  the  contents  of  the  Old  and  New 
Testaments,  not  above  seven  in  the  Old,  nor  above  eleven  in  the 
New,  appear  to  be  calculated  for  the  study,  or  comprehension 
of  the  unlearned."  "Mankind  ought  no  more  to  expect  to  under- 
stand the  prophecies  of  Ezekiel,  or  the  epistles  of  St.  Paul,  than 
the  tragedies  of  Aeschylus,  or  the  letters  of  Cicero  or  Pliny." 

Another  of  these  enemies  to  our  Church,  who  are  trying  to 
separate  from  her  the  Word  of  God,  is  the  Rev.  Mr.  O'Callaghan. 
This  gentleman  asserts  that  "the  Bible,  without  note  or  comment, 
is  unfit  for  the  perusal  of  the  rude  and  illiterate" ;  that  it  is  "one 
of  the  most  difficult  books"  he  ever  read;  and  that  this  character 
"was  applicable,  though  in  different  degrees,  to  every  part  of  it, 
not  purely  historical" ;  and  he  is  convinced  "that  God,  for  the 
wisest  purposes,  intended  that  the  book  of  our  salvation  should 
be  difficult  in  proportion  to  its  value."  "The  natural  effect  on 
the  uncultivated  mind,  of  reading  the  Bible  without  note  or  com- 
ment, oral  or  written,  is  enthusiasm,  more  or  less  sublimated  ac- 
cording to  the  temperament  of  the  individual."     The  supposition 

I.  Thoughts  on  the  utility  and  expediency  of  the  plans  proposed  by  the 
British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society. 


1823]  Jay's  "Letter."  209 

that  "the  contracted  mind  of  an  ignorant  peasant"  can  "compre- 
hend in  any  tolerable  degree  the  high  import  of  these  subHme 
and  sacred  books,"  he  declares  "to  be  not  only  unfounded  but  mis- 
chievous,"^ 

This  Irish  clergyman,  who  through  some  blunder  has  found 
his  way  into  the  Established,  instead  of  the  Roman  Church,  far 
from  being  a  friend  to  Bible  Societies,  has  attacked  them  with  a 
malignity  and  scurrility  not  unworthy  a  Norris.  The  supporters 
of  these  institutions  are  held  up  by  this  man  to  public  derision 
and  detestation  as  "saints" — "spiritual  jacobins" — more  formid- 
able than  "the  secret  tribunal  of  Westphalia" — "the  illuminati  of 
Germany" — "the  jacobin  club" ;  and  "the  Irish  executive  direc- 
tory" ;  and  he  declares  it  to  be  "the  duty  of  the  state  to  dissolve 
the  dangerous  confederacy."^  Could  anything  connected  with 
such  awful  heresies  and  blasphemies  provoke  a  smile,  it  would  be 
the  recommendation  of  this  Irish  master  of  a  college,  to  the  state, 
to  dissolve  a  confederacy,  embracing  the  king's  ministers,  the 
royal  family,  and  the  heir  apparent  to  the  throne. 

The  Prebendary  of  Lincoln,  we  have  seen,  admits  that  there 
are  eighteen  of  the  sixty-six  books  of  Scripture,  equally  import- 
ant to  the  learned  and  unlearned;  and  for  the  sake  of  these,  the 
poor  and  ignorant  might  wish  to  have  the  Bible,  although  incum- 
bered with  so  much  useless  matter ;  and  as  Mr.  O'Callaghan  has 
not  condescended  to  point  out  to  them  any  other  book  to  which 
they  can  resort,  for  the  words  of  eternal  life,  they  may  still  desire 
to  possess  the  sacred  volume,  trusting  to  their  own  diligence,  and 
divine  assistance,  to  understand  some  little  portion  of  it.  One 
more  efifort,  therefore,  was  necessary  to  effect  the  complete  sep- 
aration of  the  Word  and  the  Church  of  God.  A  substitute  for 
the  Bible  was  to  be  found,  and  the  task,  too  hazardous  for  even 
Mr.  O'Callaghan  to  attempt,  has  been  fearlessly  executed  by  an 
American  Bishop.       ********** 

I  had  been  led  by  high  authority  to  believe,  not  only  that  "all 
Scripture"  was  given  by  inspiration  of  God,  but  that  it  was  all 
^'profitable  for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for  instruc- 


1.  "Thoughts  on  the  tendency  of  Bible  Societies  as  affecting  the  estab- 
lished religion,  and  Christianity,  as  a  reasonable  service" — by  the  Rev.  A. 
O'Callaghan,  master  of  Kilkenny  College. 

2.  "The  Bible  Society  against  the  State  and  Church,"  by  the  Rev.  A. 
O'Callaghan. 

(14) 


210  Jay's  "Letter."  [182S 

tion  in  righteousness."  But  it  now  seems  that  you  have  detected 
much  unnecessary  matter  in  the  sacred  vokime.  The  quantity  of 
this  matter  may  be  ascertained  by  comparing  the  extracts  in  the 
Prayer  Book  with  the  whole  contents  of  the  Bible.  Such  a  com- 
parison carefully  made,  presents  us  with  the  following  portions  of 
Scripture,  not  contained  "in  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  and  in 
the  offices  usually  connected  with  it,"  and  of  course  according  to 
the  Pastoral  Letter  not  necessary  to  form  our  faith,  regulate  our 
obedience,  inspire  our  hopes,  or  guide  our  devotions;  conse- 
quently, having  but  little  influence  on  our  conduct  here,  or  our 
happiness  hereafter,  viz.  In  the  Old  Testament — The  book  of 
Genesis,  39  chapters  of  Exodus,  the  books  of  Leviticus,  Numbers, 
Deuteronomy,  Joshua,  Judges,  Ruth,  i  and  2  Samuel,  i  and  2 
Kings,  I  and  2  Chronicles,  Ezra,  Nehemiah,  Esther,  40  chapters 
of  Job,  30  chapters  of  Proverbs,  the  books  of  Ecclesiastes  and 
Canticles,  63  chapters  of  Isaiah,  51  chapters  of  Jeremiah,  the 
book  of  Lamentations,  47  chapters  of  Ezekiel,  11  chapters  of 
Daniel,  the  book  of  Hosea,  2  chapters  of  Joel,  the  books  of  Amos.. 
Obadiah,  Jonah,  Micah,  Nahum,  2  chapters  of  Habakkuk,  the 
books  of  Zephaniah,  Haggai,  Zechariah,  2  chapters  of  Malachi, 
In  the  New  Testament — 7  chapters  of  St.  Matthew,  1 1  chap- 
ters of  St.  Mark,  5  chapters  of  St.  Luke.  7  chapters  of.  St.  John, 
17  chapters  of  Acts,  g  chapters  of  Romans,  9  chapters  of  i  Cor- 
inthians, 6  chapters  of  2  Corinthians,  2  chapters  of  Galatians,  i 
chapter  of  Ephesians,  2  chapters  of  Colossians,  4  chapters  of 
I  Thessalonians,  the  whole  of  2  Thessalonians,  3  chapters  of  i 
Timothy,  3  chapters  of  2  Timothy,  the  whole  of  Titus  and  Phile- 
mon, 7  chapters  of  Hebrews,  4  chapters  of  James,  2  chapters  of 

1  Peter,  the  whole  of  2  Peter,  2  chapters  of  i  John,  the  whole  of 

2  and  3  John,  and  18  chapters  of  Revelation. 

But  let  it  not  be  supposed  that  the  Prayer  Book  contains  all  the 
residue  of  Scripture.  There  cannot  be  found  in  it,  with  the 
exception  of  the  Psalms,  but  six  entire  chapters,^  and  the  remain- 
ing extracts  consist  of  detached  passages  and  fragments  of  chap- 
ters. In  some  instances  a  single  verse  is  given  from  a  whole 
book,  as  is  the  case  from  Habakkuk,  Joel,  arid  Proverbs. 

Thus,  Sir,  we  have  seen  that  the  offence  of  separating  the 
Word  of  God  and  the  Church  of  God,  which  you  have  thought 

I.     I  Cor.  xiii.,  Isaiah  Ixiii.,  Mark  xiv.,  Luke  xxii.,  i  John  i.,  Rev.  iv. 


1823]  Jay's  "  Letter."  211 

proper  to  charge  upon  Bible  Societies,  has  been  attempted  by 
very  different  instruments;  and  should  you  succeed  in  convincing 
Episcopalians,  that  the  Prayer  Book  contains  all  the  Scripture 
that  is  necessary,  and  that  it  is  better  calculated  to  convey  a 
knowledge  of  Scriptural  truth,  than  the  Bible  itself,  the  attempt 
would  in  time  be  crowned  with  complete  success.^ 

The  writer  reviews  the  origin  of  the  parent  Bible  Society,  and 
gives  from  Bishops,  clergymen  and  laymen  strong  expressions  of 
their  regard  and  attachment,  and  their  belief  that  it  was  doing  a 
work  which  had  too  long  been  neglected.  He  gives  prominence 
to  a  passage  in  the  Pastoral  Letter  of  the  House  of  Bishops  in 
1814  commending  the  formation  and  expansion  of  the  British 
and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  the  result  of  which  had  been  "to  dis- 
perse the  Bible  in  regions  where  it  has  been  hitherto  unknown, 
and  in  those  wherein  the  religion  of  it  is  professed  to  provide 
that  none  shall  have  reason  to  complain  of  their  being  necessarily 
destitute  of  this  instructor,  this  guide  and  this  source  of  the  high- 
est consolations." 

With  it  he  joins  a  paragraph  from  Bishop  Hobart's  Address 
in  18 14  to  the  Convention  in  which  a  reference  is  made  to  the 
Pastoral  as  containing  such  spiritual  counsel  as  the  situation  of 
the  Church  seems  to  require.^ 

"It  is  true.  Sir,  that  some  of  our  Bishops  are  not  subscribers 
to  Bible  Societies,  but  I  am  acquainted  with  only  one  who  has 
opposed  them."^ 

Besides  Governor  Jay  and  General  Clarkson,  he  mentions 
William  Tilghman,  Duncan  Cameron,  Francis  Key,  Charles 
Goldsborough,  and  Bushrod  Washington,  all  prominent  Church- 
men, as  Vice  Presidents  of  the  American  Bible  Society.  He 
gives  a  list  of  fifty-four  Bishops  in  Russia,  Sweden  and  Denmark, 
who  are  members  and  supporters  of  Bible  Societies.  He  then, 
after  a  survey  of  the  state  of  Bible  work  on  the  Continent,  gives 
passages  from  a  Bull  of  Pius  VH.  to  the  Primates  of  Poland 
against  Bible  Societies  promulgated  June  29,  18 16,  and  from  a 
charge  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Bishop  Milner  in  Ireland  in  18 13, 


1.  Pages  13,  14,  15. 

2.  Ibid.,  p.  39. 

3.  Ibid.,  p.  39. 


212  Jay's  '*  Letter."  [1823 

and  also  from  Mr.  Cobbett,  whose  negation  of  Christian  faith  as 
usually  presented  was  well  known. 

He  makes  this  point:  "And  surely,  Sir,  in  endeavouring 
to  destroy  the  only  instruments  whereby  the  distribution  of 
the  oracles  of  truth  can  be  effected,  you  are  labouring  to  prevent 
the  distribution  of  these  oracles  themselves."  He  examines  the 
reasons  for  the  organization  of  Bible  and  Prayer  Book  Societies, 
and  claims  that  they  "in  their  exaltation  of  the  Prayer  Book 
above  the  Bible  do  separate  the  Word  of  God  from  the  Church 
of  God." 

He  thus  continues : 

"As  you  have  pointed  out  to  us  a  Book  which  will  answer  the 
purposes  of  the  Bible,  so  you  have  directed  our  attention  to  a 
substitute  for  Bible  Societies,  and  this  substitute  I  will  now  pro- 
ceed to  examine.  In  order  fully  to  understand  the  nature  and 
design  of  Bible  and  Prayer  Book  Societies,  it  will  be  necessary  to 
revert  to  the  period  of  their  first  establishment.  Bible  Societies 
had  already  been  organized  in  Pennsylvania,  Massachusetts  and 
Connecticut;  and  the  citizens  of  New  York  resolved  to  follow 
the  example  of  their  brethren,  and  made  preparations  for  estab- 
lishing a  similar  Society.  Notice  of  these  preparations  was 
given  to  the  then  Bishop  of  New-York,  and  the  co-operation  of 
Episcopalians  solicited.  But  after  this  notice  had  been  given,  and 
before  these  preparations  were  completed,  the  New- York  Bible 
and  Prayer  Book  Society  was  ushered  into  being,  an  anti- 
dote to  the  spreading  influence  of  Bible  Societies.  Within 
a  few  weeks  after  this  event,  the  New-York  Bible  Society  was 
formed,  and  after  the  lapse  of  seven  years,  not  one  Episcopal 
clergA-^man,  and  only  three  Episcopal  laymen,  were  numbered 
among  its  members.  Is  it  uncharitable  to  believe  that  this  effect 
was  foreseen  and  intended  by  the  founders  of  the  Bible  and 
Prayer  Book  Society?  It  is  a  painful  truth,  that  these  associa- 
tions have  evinced  a  deliberate,  inveterate  and  systematic  hos- 
tility to  Bible  Societies,  and  have  laboured  to  convince  Episco- 
palians that  they  were  dangerous  to  the  Church,  and  repugnant 
to  the  will  of  God.  It  is  far  from  my  intention  to  impute  to  all 
the  subscribers  to  Bible  and  Prayer  Book  Societies  the  sentiments 
avowed  in  their  printed  reports,  and  in  the  addresses  of  their 
patrons ;  for  these  sentiments  the  founders  and  active  agents  and 
patrons  of  these  Societies  are  alone  responsible.    A  brief  exami- 


1823]  Jay's  "Letter.*'  213 

nation  of  the  writings  of  these  persons  will  abundantly  substan- 
tiate the  charge  of  their  hostility  to  Bible  Societies. 

"The  Report  of  the  New-York  Bible  and  Prayer  Book  Society 
for  1811  says:  'The  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  should  l)C 
constantly  united  by  the  members  of  the  Church.'  In  their 
Report  for  1818  they  inform  us  'The  Church  as  a  visible  Society 
should  ever  be  recognized,  her  enlargement  and  due  organization 
should  be  sought,  as  one  with  the  promotion  of  the  religion  of 
the  Gospel;  it  was  this  evangelical  principle  that  gave  birth  to 
the  Society  whose  concerns  we  are  now  called  to  report.'  Hence 
it  follows  that  their  members  cannot,  without  violating  the  fun- 
damental principle  of  their  association,  unite  in  Bible  Societies, 
which,  although  they  greatly  promote  the  religion  of  the  Gospel, 
do  not  expressly  seek  the  enlargement  and  due  organization  of 
the  Church.  On  turning  to  the  first  report  of  the  New-York 
Auxiliary  Bible  and  Prayer  Book  Society  we  find  the  following: 
'The  same  duty  that  animates  us  to  distribute  the  Bible  impels 
us  to  accompany  the  blessing  with  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer.' 
This  extraordinary  sentiment  is  reiterated  in  the  second  report. 
'Should  we  not,'  say  the  managers,  'as  Protestant  Episcopalians, 
throw  away  the  precious  fruits  of  the  Reformation,  did  we  not 
stand  with  the  Bible  in  one  hand  and  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer 
in  the  other  ?'  The  report  proceeds :  'To  leave  men  in  uncer- 
tainty as  to  what  they  should  believe  or  disbelieve,  is  to  bewilder 
their  minds  and  subject  them  to  the  probable  danger  of  embrac- 
ing no  creed  at  all.  The  true  religion  has  been  preserved  from 
the  beginning  by  the  Church  of  Christ,  and  it  will  continue  to 
preserve  it.  It  is  upon  these  principles  that  the  Society  to  which 
this  is  auxiliary  was  founded.'  That  is,  the  revelation  which  an 
all-wise  God  has  seen  fit  to  make  of  his  will,  to  his  erring  and 
accountable  creatures,  is,  in  the  opinion  of  these  gentlemen,  likely 
to  leave  them  in  uncertainty  as  to  what  they  should  believe;  and 
the  Prayer  Book  is  to  complete  what  the  Almighty  left  imper- 
fect."^     ************* 

"In  your  address,  Sir,  before  the  New-York  Auxiliary  Bible 
and  Prayer  Book  Society,  you  remark.  'In  translating  and  pub- 
lishing the  Liturgy  in  conjunction  with  the  Bible,  and  distributing 
them  throughout  the  world,  we  follow  the  Scriptural  plan  of  evan- 
gelizing it — we  present  to  them  God's  Word  and  God's  Church.' 

I,     Page  SI. 


214  Jay's  "Letter."  [1823 


"Surely.  Sir.  we  had  a  right  to  expect  from  the  Professor  of 
Pastoral  Theology  in  the  Theological  Seminary  of  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church,  language  less  vague  and  unintelligible  than 
this.  Are  the  students  in  your  seminary  to  be  taught  that  the 
'Liturgy'  constitutes  the  Church  of  God?  or  that  all  that  is  nec- 
essary to  evangelize  the  world  is  to  scatter  Bibles  and  Liturgies 
.  throughout  its  population  ?  What,  Sir,  is  the  Christian  ministry 
and  the  ordinances  of  the  Gospel  of  no  avail  in  evangelizing  the 
world  ?  Has  the  command  'Preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature' 
been  revoked  ?  Truly,  Sir,  you  do  indeed  separate  the  Word  and 
the  Church  of  Grod,  to  a  most  alarming  extent;  and  I  would 
cheerfully  concur  with  you  in  charging  this  same  offence  upon 
the  members  of  Bible  Societies  were  they  to  maintain  that  all 
that  was  necessary  to  evangelize  the  world  was  to  distribute  the 
Bible.  We  know  indeed,  that  the  study  of  the  Scriptures  is  one 
of  the  means  of  grace,  and  that  it  has  often  proved,  without  ex- 
traneous aid.  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation.  But  we  also 
know  that  the  Author  of  our  religion  has  established  a  visible 
Church,  and  has  provided  for  that  Church  certain  ordinances 
which  are  also  means  of  grace,  and  has  constituted  a  ministry 
by  whom  these  ordinances  are  to  be  administered,  and  by  whom 
the  people  may  be  more  immediately  called  to  faith  and  repent- 
ance. He  therefore  who  should  aim  at  the  conversion  of  the 
world  by  distributing  the  Bible  alone,  or  even  with  the  Prayer 
Book  under  the  same  cover,  and  should  use  no  other  means,  would 
certainly  not  'follow  the  Scriptural  plan  of  evangelizing  it.' 
But  you  will  not  deny,  I  presume,  that  the  Gospel  will  never  be 
generally  and  effectually  preached,  where  it  is  not  also  distributed, 
and  that  a  Church  without  the  Bible  is  a  body  without  a  soul,  a 
corrupt  and  loathsome  corpse.  If  then  the  distribution  of  the 
Bible  is  not  only  one  of  the  means  of  converting  the  world,  but  if 
it  be  absolutely  indispensable  to  the  establishment  and  extension 
of  the  Christian  Church,  with  what  justice  can  those  who  use  the 
most  effectual  means  ever  devised  for  spreading  the  Scriptures, 
and  are  thus  preparing  the  way  for  Missionaries,  Churches  and 
Christian  ordinances,  be  accused  of  separating  the  Word  and  the 
Church  of  God  ?  I  admit.  Sir,  that  if  the  members  of  Bible  So- 
cieties use  no  other  means  to  evangelize  the  world  than  circulating 
the  Scriptures;  if  they  send  no  Missionaries — if  they  build  no 
churches — if  they  instruct  no  children — if  they  supply  the  desti- 


1823]  Jay's  ♦•Letter."  215 

tute  with  none  of  the  ordinances  of  the  Gospel ;  they  are  guilty  of 
the  charge  you  bring  against  them ;  but  I  beg  that  in  your  next 
publication  against  Bible  Societies  you  will  demonstrate  that  the 
great  exertions  which  are  now  making  in  Europe  and  America  to 
evangelize  the  world  by  the  preaching  of  Christian  ministers  are 
confined  solely  to  the  opponents  of  these  institutions."^     *     *     * 

"The  Central  Bible  and  Prayer  Book  Society,  embracing 
within  its  bounds  six  of  our  western  counties,  is  that  which  above 
all  others  you  delight  to  honour,  as  it  is  the  only  one  you  deemed 
proper  to  introduce  to  the  notice  of  the  last  Convention,  and  you 
speak  of  it  in  your  charge  as  'distinguished  for  its  zealous  exer- 
tions.' Wonderful  as  it  may  seem,  this  Society,  which  is  so  high 
in  your  favour,  has  disregarded  the  cardinal  principle,  'the  com- 
bined distribution  of  the  Bible  and  Book  of  Common  Prayer,' 
and  has  violated  the  Scriptural  plan  of  evangelizing  the  world, 
for  we  are  informed  in  the  Christian  Journal  for  1822,  page  368, 
''In  consequence  of  the  general  distribution  of  the  Bible  by  the 
laudable  exertions  of  others,  and  the  pressing  demands  for  the 
Book  of  Common  Prayer,  the  attention  of  the  Society  since  its 
commencement  has  been  turned  to  the  distribution  of  that  invalu- 
able manual  of  devotion.'  That  is,  this  Bible  and  Prayer  Book 
Society  has  appropriated  all  its  funds  to  the  distribution  of  Prayer 
Books,  and  has  never  owned  a  single  Bible." 

"These  facts  ill  accord  with  the  opinions  we  have  seen  ex- 
pressed respecting  the  Scriptural  plan  of  presenting  in  conjunc- 
tion the  Word  and  the  Church  of  God.  To  distribute  Bibles  with- 
out Prayer  Books  is  unscriptural, — is  throwing  away  the  prec- 
ious fruits  of  the  reformation — is  hazarding  our  apostolic  minis- 
try, &c.,  &c.  But  to  distribute  Prayer  Books  without  Bibles  does 
no  injury  to  the  Church  and  offers  no  violence  to  the  consciences 
of  these  orthodox  and  consistent  Churchmen.  These  Societies 
while  circulating  Prayer  Books,  are  careful  to  retain  the  word 
*Bible'  in  their  title,  and  thus 

'They  keep  the  word  of  promise  to  our  ear, 
And  break  it  to  our  hope.' 

"These  institutions  not  only  damp  in  Episcopalians  that  zeal  for 
the  diffusion  of  the  Scriptures,  which  is  the  most  remarkable 
characteristic  of  the  present  day,  but  they  prevent  the  adoption 
of  the  most  efficient  means  for  putting  the  Liturgy  of  our  Church 
into  the  hands  of  her  indigent  members.     By  their  avowed  oppo- 

I.    Pages  54,  55,  56. 


216  Jay's  "Letter."  [1823 

sition  to  Bible  Societies  they  lose  the  patronage  of  many  Episco- 
palians whose  conduct  in  supporting  them,  these  Societies  think 
proper  to  condemn;  and  although  most  of  their  funds  are  ex- 
pended in  printing  and  circulating  Prayer  Books,  yet  it  is  found 
necessary,  in  order  to  save  appearances,  to  appropriate  some  of 
them  to  the  distribution  of  the  Scriptures.^  Whereas,  were 
Prayer  Book  Societies  established  in  their  room,  they  would  re- 
ceive the  patronage  of  all  Churchmen,  and  might  devote  their 
undivided  resources  to  the  dissemination  of  their  own  invaluable 
Liturgy  and  Articles. 

"Another  most  serious  objection  to  these  Societies  is  the  schism 
they  produce  and  the  parties  they  form  in  our  Church.  We  have 
seen  that  they  denounce  Bible  Societies  as  unscriptural,  because 
they  do  not  present  the  Church  of  God  in  conjunction  with  his 
Word,  and  declare  that  they  *in  conscience  believe'  the  very 
associations  recommended  by  the  House  of  Bishops  to  be  a  de- 
parture 'from   the  true  and  primitive  method  of  propagating 


I.  "As  the  Stereotype  edition  of  the  Bible  printed  by  the  New- York  Bible 
and  Prayer  Book  Society,  may  be  regarded  as  invalidating  in  some  degree 
the  statements  I  have  made,  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  give  a  few  facts  relative 
to  this  subject.  The  expense  of  the  plates  was  not  defrayed  out  of  the  funds- 
of  the  Society,  for  the  managers  in  their  third  Report,  inform  us  that  'they 
did  not  feel  authorized  to  withdraw  any  part  of  the  money  then  employed  in 
circulating  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer.'  The  Managers  therefore  made 
an  appeal  to  the  public  for  this  specific  object,  and  they  state  (3rd  Report) 
'the  result  has  fully  justified  the  appeal,'  and  they  give  notice  that  'the  list 
of  subscribers  to  this  work  of  Christian  charity,  will  be  published  as  soon  as 
the  subscriptions  are  completed.'  In  their  5th  report,  they  incautionsly  dis- 
close their  object  in  printing  an  edition.  'Your  Managers  did  not  fear  ta 
publish  an  edition  of  the  Bible,  even  though  the  state  of  the  funds  would  not 
allow  of  immediate  payment  for  it — we  were  confident  of  being  'able  to 
dispose  of  the  books  at  a  profit  to  the  Society.'  It  would  seem  however  that 
this  speculation  has  not  been  successful  since  it  does  not  appear  that  the  last 
year  they  have  sold  a  single  copy.  Let  it  be  recollected  that  the  American 
Bible  Society  had  for  sale,  and  would  have  sold  to  this  Society  at  cost  price 
well  executed  Stereotype  Bibles  of  three  sizes,  and  that  Bible  Societies 
throughout  the  union  find  it  their  interest  to  purchase  these  Bibles.  The 
New-York  Auxiliary  Bible  and  Prayer  Book  Society  was  not  therefore  in- 
duced to  procure  these  plates  from  any  difficulty  they  experienced  in  pur- 
chasing Bibles ;  but  it  seems  they  sagaciously  imagined  that  if  they  could  pro- 
cure the  plates  free  of  expense,  they  would  be  able  to  sell  Bibles  at  a  profit,, 
and  thus  the  sale  of  Scriptures  would  augment  the  distribution  of  the 
Prayer  Book." 


1823]  Jay's  "Letter."  217 

Christianity.'  You.  Sir,  warn  your  flock  that  in  joinings  Bible 
Societies  they  "put  in  jeopardy  their  apostolic  ministry  and  primi- 
tive and  evangelical  worship,"  while  your  'venerable  father  in  the 
Episcopacy'  assures  us.  that  with  the  plan  of  Bible  Societies,  as 
adopted  in  England  and  America,  'there  can  be  no  dissatisfaction 
on  account  of  interfering  opinions  or  modes  of  worship.'  Bishop 
White  considers  Bible  Societies  'as  being  one  of  the  happiest 
expedients  ever  devised  for  spreading  the  knowledge  of  Christ.' 
You,  on  the  other  hand,  regard  the  Prayer  Book  as  a  still  more 
happy  expedient,  since  'we  distribute  the  holy  Scriptures  in  the 
manner  best  calculated,'  &c.* 

The  example  of  New  York  and  the  counsel  of  its  Bishop  had 
not  been  followed  in  other  dioceses.  Jay  combats  the  Bishop's 
contention  that  Bible  Societies  weakened  the  attachment  of 
'Episcopalians'  to  the  distinctive  doctrines  of  the  Church,  and 
gives  as  an  illustration  the  growth  in  numbers  and  influence  of 
the  three  parishes  in  New  York  whose  Rectors  are  supporters  of 
the  American  Bible  Society,  Christ,  St.  George's,  and  St. 
Stephen's. 

He  says  that  the  Bishop's  "associates  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Atlantic  have  defended  your  principles  in  a  manner  which  reflects 
disgrace,  both  upon  themselves,  and  the  Church  of  which  they 
are  members,  and  which  cannot  but  wound  the  interests  of  relig- 
ion itself."* 

He  then  examines  some  of  their  utterances  and  continues : 

"But  amid  all  the  calumniators  of  the  British  and  Foreign 
Bible  Society  the  name  of  Norris  stands  pre-eminent. 
*Aw'd  by  no  shame,  by  no  respect  controll'd, 
In  scandal  busy,  in  reproaches  bold,' 
"This  modem  Thersites,  even  while  ministering  at  the  altar  of  his 
God,  scruples  not  to  load  his  most  devoted  servants  with  the  foul- 
est obloquy ;  and  labours  with  the  malignity'  of  an  infidel  to  prove 
the  corrupting  influence  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  upon  the  public 
morals. 

'From  such  apostles,  O  ye  mitred  heads ! 
Preserve  the  Church.' 

"In  the  year  1814  this  man  first  obtruded  himself  on  the  public 


1.  Pages  58,  59,  60. 

2.  Page  70. 


218  Jay's  **  Letter."  [1823 

notice  as  the  author  of  'A  Practical  Exposition  of  the  Tendency 
and  Proceedings  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society.'  Of 
the  bitterness  of  that  work  the  following  sample  will  suffice. 
'Those  who  so  loudly  proclaim  the  cause  of  the  Bible  Society  to 
be  the  cause  of  God:  who  cry  out  to  the  deluded  people,  why 
come  ye  not  up  to  the  help  of  the  I^rd  against  the  mighty,  are 
the  legitimate  descendants  of  those  notable  incendiaries  who 
never  ceased  to  curse  Meroz  and  neutrality  until,  in  the  language 
of  Walker,  they  had  brought  God's  curse  upon  the  land;  and  put 
Church  and  Commonwealth  into  a  flame."     (Page  285.) 

"Of  this  same  work  the  Bishop  of  St.  David's  thus  speaks  in  his 
tract :  The  Bible,  and  the  Bible  alone,  the  religion  of  Protest- 
ants.' *It  is  so  destitute  of  the  demonstration  which  it  professes 
to  give :  so  defective  in  its  premises :  so  inconclusive  in  its  infer- 
ences ;  and  so  reprehensible  in  its  calumnies  respecting  the  Church 
members  of  the  Society,'  that  it  may  be  left  'to  its  own  refuta- 
tion.' 

"Is  it  not.  Sir,  astonishing,  that  a  man  thus  degrading  his  holy 
calling,  should  find  in  this  country  a  correspondent  in  the  person 
of  'a  distinguished  American'  ?  A  correspondent  who  mourns 
with  him  over  the  progress  of  the  everlasting  Gospel,  and  bewails 
every  new  instance  of  patronage  bestowed  on  institutions  whose 
only  object  is  to  furnish  his  fellow  men  with  the  records  of  salva- 
tion !  On  the  first  page  of  this  man's  recent  letter  to  Lord  Liver- 
pool, after  pointing  out  the  mischievous  effects  of  his  Lordship's 
speech  in  favour  of  the  Bible  Society,  he  proceeds :  'But  our 
own  shores  are  not  the  limits  of  its  injurious  operations,  for  I 
have  before  me  a  communication  from  a  distinguished  Ameri- 
can, who  bewails  the  accession  of  popularity  that  Societies  there, 
hostile  to  that  Church  have  derived  from  inferences,  which  we 
happily  know  to  be  false,  of  a  disposition  in  the  English  ministry 
to  patronize  Sectarism,  drawn  from  this  speech,  which  is  most 
studiously  propagated  by  the  American  newspapers  throughout 
the  United  States.' '" 

Jay  then  gives  some  extracts  from  the  letter  of  Mr.  Norris  on 
Bible  Societies  and  comments  on  them  sarcastically.  He  quotes 
the  tribute  of  Bishop  White  to  the  beneficent  results  and  good 
influence  of  the  recently  formed  Female  Bible  Societies.  He 
thus  concludes  his  long  "Letter"  : 

I.    Pages  71-72. 


1823]  Jay's  "Letter."  219 

"There  is,  Sir,  a  period  approaching  when  the  friends  and  ene- 
mies of  Bible  Societies  will  be  alike  compelled  to  relinquish  their 
support  and  their  hostility.  In  that  hour  of  dissolving  nature, 
when  our  distinctions,  our  triumphs,  and  our  defeats  will  all 
appear  to  us  as  less  than  the  dust  of  the  balance,  and  altogether 
vanity;  when  the  remembrances  of  no  act  of  our  lives  will  im- 
part to  us  a  ray  of  hope  or  consolation,  farther  than  it  affords 
an  evidence  of  our  faith  in  the  Redeemer,  and  our  love  for  his 
cause;  at  that  awful  moment  when  about  to  appear  before  that 
tribunal  from  whose  judgment  there  is  no  appeal :  will  our  burth- 
ened  consciences  find  comfort  in  the  reflection  that  we  have  lab- 
oured to  destroy  the  only  instrument  by  which  the  glad  tidings 
of  salvation  could  be  conveyed  to  millions,  who  were  ready  to 
perish.  The  venerable  Scott^  on  his  dying  bed  could  exhort  his 
friend  to  persevere  in  his  support  of  Bible  Societies.  The  sainted 
Owen,  sinking  under  the  fatigue  he  had  endured  in  the  service 
of  the  British  Society,  and  in  full  view  of  his  approaching  disso- 
lution, could  exclaim,  'How  sweet  to  have  toiled  in  this  world !' 

"But  I  have  yet  to  learn  that  a  single  individual  has  expired, 
rejoicing  in  the  opposition  he  had  made  to  the  circulation  of  the 
sacred  volume,  and  anticipating  for  his  efforts  the  approving 
smile  of  his  Maker. 

"Many  are  the  prayers  to  which  I  have  listened  for  the  divine 
blessing  on  the  cause  I  am  defending;  but  I  doubt  not  that  my 
hardiest  opponent  would  shrink  from  imploring  the  assistance  of 
Heaven  in  his  labours  to  crush  the  very  institutions  which  he 
hesitates  not  to  denounce  as  dangerous  and  unscriptural. 

"It  is  with  pain.  Sir,  that  I  find  myself  compelled  to  differ  with 
you  on  any  subject,  and  especially  on  one  involving  not  only  the 
character  and  welfare  of  our  Church,  but  the  dearest  interests  of 
the  human  family.  But  I  trust  you  will  find  in  the  very  import- 
ance of  the  subject  a  sufficient  apology  for  my  adherence  to  that 
course  of  conduct  which  I  believe  to  be  correct;  and  that  you 
will  extend  to  me  the  same  indulgence  you  claim  yourself,  for  an 
independent  compliance  with  a  sense  of  duty.  Although  your 
sentiments  with  respect  to  Bible  Societies  will  probably  remain 
unaltered,  yet  I  flatter  myself,  the  hope  is  not  presumptuous,  that 
you  will  not  deem  it  your  duty  to  prolong  this  unhappy  contro- 


I.     Author  of  the  Commentaries. 


220  Hobart's  "Reply."  [1823 

versy;  and  if  new  provocations  must  arise,  that  they  will  not 
again  proceed  from  a  source  to  which  the  Church  has  a  right  to 
look  for  an  example  of  long  suffering,  charity,  and  patience. 
You,  Sir,  have  zeal,  talents  and  acquirements  meet  for  the  Mas- 
ter's service :  that  they  may  be  instnmiental,  not  merely  in  en- 
larging the  boundaries  of  the.  visible  Church,  but  in  adding  to  the 
number  of  those  who  shall  inherit  that  Kingdom  which  He  has 
prepared  for  them  that  love  Him ;  and  that  you  may  receive  the 
reward  promised  to  them  who  turn  many  to  righteousness,  is 
the  fervent  prayer  of.  Right  Reverend  Sir, 
"Your  very  obedient  servant, 

"A  CHURCHMAN 

"o/  the  New-York  Diocess. 

"New- York,  April  22,  1823."^ 

The  full  title  of  the  pamphlet  is :  "A  Letter  to  the  Right  Rev- 
erend Bishop  Hobart  occasioned  by  the  Strictures  on  Bible  So- 
cieties contained  in  his  late  charge  to  the  Convention  of  New- 
York.  By  a  Churchman  of  the  Diocess  of  New- York.  The 
beginning  of  strife  is  as  when  one  letteth  out  water, — Prov- 
erbs xvii.  14.  Mark  them  which  cause  divisions  and  offences. — 
Rom.  xvi.  17.  New-York:  Published  by  John  P.  Haven,  Theo- 
logical Bookseller,  182  Broadway.  Gray  &  Bunce,  Printers. 
1823."    8vo. ;  pp.  80. 

An  answer  was  speedily  prepared  by  Bishop  Hobart.  It  ap- 
peared under  a  pen  name.  This  practice  was  almost  universal  at 
that  time  in  controversies  and  correspondence  in  the  press.  The 
identity  of  the  writers  was  often  only  slightly  concealed.  All 
who  read  the  pamphlets  of  "A  Churchman"  and  "Corrector" 
could  easily  learn  the  names  of  the  writers.  The  "Reply"  com- 
mences vigorously: 

Sir, 

While  reading  your  letter  to  Bishop  Hobart,  I  marked  in  the 
margin,  against  particular  passages,  the  words — misrepresenta- 
tions— fallacies — rhapsodies — violations  of  delicacy — intolerant 
— disingenuous — ungentlcmartly,  and  unchristian ;  and.  however 
unpleasant  the  task,  I  deem  it  due  to  truth  and  justice  to  hold 
your  letter  up  to  view,  with  these,  "Its  blushing  honours,  thick 
upon  it." 


1.    Pages  78,  79,  80. 


1823]  Hobart's  "Reply."  221 

The  epithets  with  which  I  have  characterized  a  production,  on 
which  you  set  no  small  value,  are,  doubtless,  severe;  but  I  am 
perfectly  satisfied  that,  before  I  conclude,  I  shall  give  ample  evi- 
dence that  they  are  true,  and  merited.  And  I  am  not  to  be 
accounted  your  enemy,  because  I  tell  you  the  truth.  You  have 
thought  proper  violently  to  assail  the  principles  and  conduct  of 
"your  Bishop"  :  you  cannot  be  surprised  if  they  are  frankly  and 
zealously  defended. 

Since  the  appearance  of  your  Letter,  I  have  often  heard  the 
inquiry — Who  is  this  that  assumes  the  high-sounding  title,  "A 
Churchman  of  the  Diocese  of  New  York"?  And  fresh  from 
those  acquainted  with  Church  affairs,  I  have  uniformly  heard 
the  inquiry  answered  by  another — Do  you  not  recollect  an  indi- 
vidual, who,  several  years  since,  when  comparatively  a  boy,  made 
his  appearance  in  a  Convention  of  the  Diocese  of  New  York,  at 
that  time  composed,  in  addition  to  the  clergy,  of  some  lay  gen- 
tlemen of  the  first  talents  and  standing  in  society;  and,  presum- 
ing, as  it  seemed,  on  a  name  worthy  of  all  consideration,  in  an 
assemblage,  and  on  an  occasion  that  should  have  inspired  a  youth 
with  that  trembling  modesty  which  ingenuous  youth  always 
feels,  and  by  which  ingenuous  youth,  and  even  mature  age,  is 
always  adorned — on  ecclesiastical  topics,  which  venerable  men 
approached  with  diffidence  and  hesitancy,  proclaimed  his  opin- 
ions with  a  pertness,  a  boldness,  and  a  dogmatism,  that  aston- 
ished and  confounded  his  auditors :  who  then  commenced  the 
work  of  meddling  and  of  mischief ;  and,  in  every  successive  Con- 
vention which  he  has  attended,  has  been  true  to  himself,  but  at 
the  same  time,  so  utterly  unfortunate  as  to  possess  no  influence, 
and  almost  to  mar  every  measure  which  he  advocated ;  and  whose 
hostility  to  Bishop  Hobart,  commencing  with  his  appointment  to 
the  Episcopate  in  1811,  has  been  manifested,  at  every  opportu- 
nity, to  the  present  day?  Is  it  possible,  I  asked,  that  you  are 
describing  "A  Churchman  of  the  Diocese  of  New  York"  ? 

It  is  a  little  remarkable  that,  in  your  Letter  you  quote,  and 
evidently  with  much  self-gratification,  the  Report  of  the  "Bed- 
ford Prayer  Book  Society,"  and  introduce  again  and  again  the 
venerable  name  of  Governor  Jay. 

Pardon  me,  Sir;  the  intention,  the  quo  animo,  of  a  person  who 
appears  as  you  do,  a  voluntary  and  eager  witness  against  your 
Diocesan,  an  assailant  of  his  official  principles  and  conduct,  is 


222  Hobart's  "Reply."  [182a 

all-important,  as  to  the  credit  to  be  given  to  his  testimony,  and 
the  weight  to  be  adjudged  to  his  opinions;  and  your  probable 
motives  cannot  be  ascertained  unless  we  know  you.  My  reluct- 
ance thus  to  present  you  in  propria  persona  is  much  diminished 
by  the  consideration  that,  if  your  character  is  not  much  mistaken, 
avruling  passion  in  the  human  breast  is  highly  flattered,  by  being- 
even  thus  pointed  out  as  the  author  of  "A  Letter  to  the  Right 
Rev.  Bishop  Hobart,  occasioned  by  his  late  Charge"  (Address, 
you  should  have  written;  you  ought  to  know  the  distinction)  "to 
the  Convention  of  New  York." 

I  proceed  to  the  task  of  noticing  the  misrepresentations — the 
fallacies — the  rhapsodies — the  violation  of  delicacy — the  intoler- 
ance— the  disingenuous,  ungcntlcmanly,  and  unchristian  spirit 
and  language,  by  which,  I  am  truly  sorry  to  say,  your  Letter  to 
your  Diocesan  is  characterized. 

Misrepresentations. 

I.  Your  Letter  commences  with  the  Misrepresentation  that,  in 
the  Address  of  Bishop  Hobart,  "the  conduct  of  Governor  Jay 
and  General  Clarkson  is  represented  as  erroneous  in  principle, 
and  injurious  in  its  tendency  to  that  Church  which,  it  is  admitted, 
they  adorn;  that  the  Bishops  have  betrayed  their  sacred  trust; 
and  that  a  host  of  laymen,  whose  talents,  piety  and  rank  reflect 
lustre  on  our  Church,  are  sapping  her  foundations,  and  violating 
their  duty  as  Christians  and  as  Churchmen."^ 

"Corrector"  gives  the  passage  quoted  from  Bishop  White's 
address  with  Bishop  Hobart's  comments  upon  it  as  contained  in 
the  Annual  Convention  Address  for  1822.    He  then  proceeds : 

Now  let  me  ask  every  candid  man,  what  is  there  in  this  that 
will  warrant  the  violent  and  injurious  attack  which  you  have 
made  on  Bishop  Hobart,  and  particularly  the  charge,  stated  by 
you  as  a  great  offence,  "of  having  represented"  the  conduct  of 
Governor  Jay  and  General  Clarkson,  and  the  Bishops,  and  a 
host  of  laymen,  as  erroneous  in  principle,  and  injurious  in  its 
tendency"  ? 

What  is  there  but  the  frank  (he  owed  this  to  his  character) 
and  earnest  but  mild  and  dignified,  avowal  (he  owed  this  to  his 
official  duty)  of  his  sentiments  as  to  the  course  which  Episco- 

I.    Pages  3-5. 


1823]  Hobart's  "Reply."  223 

palians  should  pursue  in  propagating  the  Gospel  ?  And,  for  this, 
must  he  be  bearded  (I  ask  pardon  of  myself  for  descending  to 
the  style  of  your  Letter,  however  appropriate  in  this  case)  by  an 
anonymous  assailant.  Could  he  have  carried  delicacy  to  those, 
from  whom  he  deeply  lamented  to  differ,  further,  without  the 
entire  prostration  to  them  of  his  own  conscientious  opinions? 
Could  he  with  more  modesty  and  mildness,  without  total  forget- 
fulness  of  self-respect  and  official  character,  have  pleaded  for  the 
toleration  of  exercising  his  own  judgment,  and  maintaining  his 
own  honest  views  ?  With  respect  to  the  offence  against  "Gover- 
nor Jay  and  General  Clarkson,  and  the  Bishops,  and  a  host  of 
others,"  surely  there  is  a  great  difference  between  saying  to  indi- 
viduals— You  are  erroneous  in  principle,  your  conduct  is  injuri- 
ous— and  saying  to  them,  mildly  and  courteously  (which,  in  sub- 
stance. Bishop  Hobart  has  done), — Gentlemen,  I  must  think  it 
the  duty  and  the  policy  of  Episcopalians,  while  they  exercise 
kindness  and  respect  towards  their  fellow-Christians,  to  act,  in 
religious  affairs,  under  the  guidance  and  authority  of  their  own 
Church,  and  exclusively  to  support  the  institutions  for  the  pro- 
motion of  religion,  which  she  has  provided.  I  think  this  the  best 
mode  of  preventing  collisions  with  other  denominations  and  of 
maintaining  our  own  principles — of  preserving  inviolate  both 
truth  and  charity.  I  believe  the  principle  on  which  Bible  Socie- 
ties are  founded — the  studious,  and  explicit,  and  solemn  separa- 
tion of  the  Church  of  God  from  the  Word  of  God ;  of  the  sacred 
Scripture  from  Christian  doctrine,  ministry  and  worship;  so 
much  so,  as  to  abstain,  in  all  their  proceedings,  from  any  recog- 
nition of  those  characteristics  of  the  divinely-constituted  Church 
of  the  Redeemer — is  erroneous;  being  a  departure  from  the 
mode  which  the  Apostles  practiced  in  propagating  Christianity, 
who  united  what  Bible  Societies  in  the  principle  of  their  organi- 
zation, and  in  all  their  measures,  separate,  the  inspired  Word, 
with  that  mystical  body  of  Christ,  to  whose  guardianship  this 
Word  was  committed.  I  believe  that  Bible  Societies  are  injuri- 
ous in  their  tendency,  as  calculated,  by  the  amalgamation  of  all 
religious  sects,  and  by  the  extreme  liberality  which  in  the  ad- 
dresses and  the  reports  and  the  speeches  that  are  made,  and 
which  form  a  vital  part  of  the  system,  is  inculcated,  to  weaken 
the  attachment  of  Episcopalians  to  the  distinguishing  principles 
of  their  own  Church.    I  have  not  the  least  doubt,  gentlemen,  that 


224  Hobart's  ''  Reply."  [1823 

you  very  conscientiously  think  otherwise,  and  deem  these  views 
erroneous,  and  these  apprehensions  unfounded,  and  that  you 
support  Bible  Societies  from  a  strong  sense  of  duty.  It  gives  me 
pain  to  differ  from  you.  I  only  wish  for  the  admission  of  acting 
according  to  the  views  of  duty  equally  conscientious — for  tolera- 
tion, in  my  preference  of  institutions  under  the  guidance  and 
control  of  my  own  Church,  which  make  ample  provision  for 
propagating  the  Word  of  God  in  connection  with  the  doctrine, 
ministry,  and  worship  of  the  divinely-constituted  body  of  Christ ; 
without  being  subjected  to  the  injurious  and  unkind  imputation 
of  being  unfriendly  to  the  distribution  of  the  Oracles  of  truth. 

This  is  what  Bishop  Hobart  has  said,  and  only  this;  and  for 
this  you  have  violently  assailed  him,  representing  him  as  charging 
"Governor  Jay  and  General  Clarkson,  and  a  host  of  others,  with 
being  erroneous  in  principle,  and  their  conduct  injurious  in  tend- 
ency" ;  and  representing  his  brethren,  the  Bishops,  as  "betraying 
their  sacred  trust,"  "sapping  the  foundations  of  the  Church" — 
"blind  leaders  of  the  blind." 

The  art  of  this  is  very  apparent ;  for  if,  at  the  outset,  you  could 
convict  Bishop  Hobart  of  being  thus  rude,  arrogant,  and  calumni- 
ous, little  credit  would  be  due  to  his  opinions,  and  his  official 
influence  (this  indeed  would  be  a  great  point  gained)  would  be 
totally  lost.  And,  unfortunately,  there  are  Protestants,  even 
those  who  style  themselves  Churchmen,  who  act  upon  the  princi- 
ple, stigmatized  as  Jesuitical,  that  the  end  justifies  the  means.^ 

The  writer  considers  that  the  misrepresentation  that  Bishop 
Hobart  had  artfully  made  it  appear  that  Bishop  White  opposed 
"Bible  Societies."  The  quotation  was  made  in  connection  "with 
remarks  on  the  calls  for  spiritual  aid  particularly  for  Missionary 
labours  by  destitute  Episcopalians."  It  is  to  approve  and  enforce 
Bishop  White's  advice,  "to  avoid  all  intemiixture  of  administra- 
tion with  other  denominations  in  what  concerns  the  faith,  the 
worship  or  the  discipline  of  the  Church"  that  the  Bishop  wrote 
the  paragraph  "A  Churchman"  criticises.  The  writer  enlarges 
the  thought  of  Bishop  Hobart's  address  and  shows  how  properly 
it  was  expanded  with  the  patriarch  White's  words  as  a  text  into 
a  caution  to  avoid  all  entangling  alliances  with  other  Christian 
bodies.     He  also  denies  that  the  Bishop  of  Pennsylvania  had 

I.     Pages  8-10. 


1823]  Hobarfs  "Reply."  225 

uttered  his  warning  because  of  an  incident  immediately  previous 
to  his  address,  "The  Preaching  of  a  Presbyterian  Minister  in  an 
Episcopal  Pulpit." 

It  is  another  leading  purpose  of  your  Letter,  to  misrepresent 
Bishop  Hobart,  as  having  attacked  Bible  Societies ;  by  which  you 
evidently   mean  an  unprovoked,  and  unnecessary,  and  violent 
attempt,  to  expose  and  to  injure  these  institutions.    In  this  sense 
he  has  made  no  attack  on  Bible  Societies.  •  A  Pastoral  Letter  on 
this  subject  was  published  by  him  (1815),  and  contained  a  dis- 
passionate exhibition  of  the  reasons  for  distributing  the  Bible 
and   the   Book  of   Common   Prayer,   and  of  the  expediency  of 
Episcopalians  associating   for  this   purpose  among  themselves. 
This  letter  was  not  unnecessary ;  for  at  that  time  the  project  of  the 
American  Bible  Society  to  be  placed  in  Philadelphia  was  fonued, 
and   attempts   were   making   to   draw    Episcopalians    into   the 
measure.     Bishop  Hobart  would  not  have  acted  the  part  of  a 
faithful  pastor  if  he  had  not  endeavoured  to  guard  the  Episco- 
palians of  his  diocese  against  measures  which  appeared  to  him 
incorrect  and  inexpedient,  and  to  excite  them  to  those  which  he 
judged  were  wise,  and  politic,   and  correct.     These    Pastoral 
Letters  were  assailed.    I  use  the  term  assailed,  because  misrepre- 
sentation and  violence  characterized  the  publications  against  him. 
Some  of  these  were  answered.    But  to  one  of  them,  full  of  gross 
misrepresentation  and  scurrility,  there  has  been,  I  believe,  no 
reply.    It  was  published  on  the  eve  of  a  meeting  of  a  Convention 
of  the  Church,  and  put  into  the  hands  of  the  members,  and  for- 
warded to  leading  Episcopalians  throughout  the  state.^    I  recog- 
nize in  your  present  Letter  the  same  spirit  that  distinguished  the 
publication  to  which  I  allude,  and  I  think  I  do  not  mistake  as  to 
their  author.     It  was  not  answered — you  may  think,  because  it 
was  unanswerable.     But  there  may  be  another  reason,  which,  I 
believe,  is  the  true  one — an  unwillingness  to  prolong  a  contro- 
versy with  an  opponent  of  so  little  candour  and  so  much  violence. 
Prom  the  year  18 16,  when  Bishop  Hobart  delivered  an  Ad- 
dress to  the  New  York  Auxiliary  Bible  and  Common  Prayer 
Book  Society,  until  the  meeting  of  the  last  Convention,  as  far  as 


I.    Just  as  the  Letter  is  ushered  forth,  immediately  previous  to  the  meeting 
of  the  General  Convention,  and  sent  to  the  clergy. 

(15) 


226  Hobart's  ''Reply."  [182a 

I  know,  lie  has  been  silent;  notwithstanding  abundant  provoca- 
tions occurred  in  the  pamphlets,  the  speeches,  the  newspaper 
remarks,  that  have  been  published.  And  was  there  no  cause  for 
his  last  Address?  Let  me  take  from  your  Letter  the  following^ 
passage,  contained  in  an  Address  delivered  the  last  spring  (1822) 
to  the  American  Bible  Society  by  its  President  : 

"The  Apostles,"  says  Governor  Jay,  in  his  late  address,  "were 
opposed  in  preaching  the  Gospel,  but  they  nevertheless  persisted 
— we  are  opposed  in  dispersing  the  Scriptures,  which  convey  the 
knowledge  of  it — and  let  us  follow  their  example.  An  eminent 
ancient  counsellor  gave  excellent  advice  to  their  adversaries,  and 
his  reasoning  affords  salutary  admonition  to  our  opiX)nents. 
That  advice  merits  attention,  and  was  concluded  in  the  following 
memorable  words :  "Refrain  from  these  men  and  let  them  alone^ 
— for  if  this  counsel  or  this  work  be  of  men,  it  will  come  to^ 
naught ;  but  if  it  be  of  God,  ye  cannot  overthrow  it, — lest  haply 
ye  be  found  to  fight  against  God." 

Here  Bishop  Hobart  found  the  opponents  of  the  Bible  So- 
cieties charged,  in  an  address  delivered  to  a  "great  national 
institution"  by  its  president,  and  which,  by  the  agency  of  the 
institution,  was  to  be  circulated  throughout  the  Union,  and 
throughout  the  world,  with  "opposition  to  the  dispersion  of  the 
Scriptures" — with  "fighting  against  God." 

Did  Bishop  Hobart  issue  a  defensive  pamphlet?  Did  he  have 
recourse  to  any  mode  of  defence  calculated  to  awaken  contro- 
versy? In  an  Address  to  the  Convention  near  six  months  after, 
on  an  occasion  of  official  duty,  he  merely  explained  the  prin- 
ciples which  he  thought  should  regulate  Episcopalians  in  their 
efforts  for  the  propagating  the  Gospel,  and  defended  himself^ 
and  those  with  whom  he  acted,  from  the  charge  of  being  "op- 
posed to  the  distribution  of  the  Scriptures."  So  far  from  the 
haste  which  would  have  characterized  an  assailant  of  the  Bible 
Society,  his  Address  was  not  published  until  some  months  after 
its  delivery ;  and  its  circulation  would  not  have  extended  beyond 
the  limits  to  which  such  addresses  are  usually  confined,  if  the 
publication,  in  terms  of  high  panegyric,  of  an  extract  from  the 
address  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Milnor,  the  Rector  of  St.  George's,  in 
a  newspaper,  in  which  those  who  oppose  Bible  Societies  are 
styled  "blinded  Christians,"  and  ranked  with  "infidels,"  had  not 


1823]  Hobart's  "Reply."  227 

rendered  a  similar  publication  of  an  extract  from  the  Address 
a  measure  of  self-defence.* 

What  then  are  the  facts?  During  the  interval  between  1816, 
in  which  Bishop  Hobart  delivered  an  Address  before  a  Bible 
and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  and  1822,  you  acquit  him  of 
any  publications  on  this  subject.  At  this  period  when  not  a 
whisper  was  heard  from  him,  or  from  others,  in  opposition  to 
Bible  Societies — when  the  American  Bible  Society  was  advan- 
cing on  the  tide  of  popularity  with  a  rapidity  and  strength  that 
would  defy  every  effort  to  impede  its  progress — the  President 
of  this  institution,  in  his  public  address,  deemed  it  proper  to 
characterize  opposition  to  the  Bible  Societies  as  "opposition  to 
dispersing  the  Scriptures,"  and  applied  to  the  opponents  of  these 
institutions,  indirectly  indeed,  but  not  the  less  forcibly,  the  ad- 
monition, that  they  were  "fighting  against  God."  And  yet, 
because,  months  afterwards,  in  an  official  Address,  Bishop 
Hobart  attempted  to  explain  the  principles  on  which  he  acted 
in  order  to  vindicate  himself  from  these  injurious  imputations, 
you  accuse  him  with  having  "spontaneously,  and  without  the 
6lightest  provocation  attacked  Bible  Societies  in  his  charge  to 
the  Convention;"  and  manifesting  in  his  opposition,  "inveteracy, 
restlessness,  and  perseverance."^ 

"Corrector"  dwells  at  length  upon  the  misrepresentation  "That 
Bishop  Hobart  is  opposed  to  the  distribution  of  the  Bible,"  be- 
cause he  opposed  Bible  Societies,  and  repels  the  charge  that  the 
Bible  and  Prayer  Book  Societies  do  not  distribute  the  Bible.  Fie 
shows  that  they  do  according  to  their  limited  means;  and  then 
continues : 

The  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book 
Society,  the  active  and  unostentatious  zeal  of  the  managers  of 
which,  no  obstacles  or  discouragements  have  arrested  or  dimin- 
ished, is  honoured  with  a  large  share  of  your  opprobrium.  I 
have  a  great  aversion  to  those  details  in  which  you  seem  to  be 
so  much  at  home,  or  I  would  present  a  view  of  the  good  effected 


1.  I  very  strongly  suspect,  from  some  rumors  which  I  have  heard,  that 
you  a  Churchman,  was  prepared  entirely  to  justify  the  application  of  this 
term  "blinded  Christians,"  which  Dr.  Milnor,  finding  it  obnoxious,  deemed 
expedient  to  alter,  in  a  subsequent  publication  of  his  Address,  to  "mistaken 
Christians." 

2.  Letter  of  Corrector,  pp.  12-15. 


228  Hobart's  "Reply."  [1823 

by  this  institution,  notwithstanding  the  partial  support  which 
they  received,  that  would  rescue  it  from  the  contempt  with  which 
you  speak  of  it.  I  suspect  the  parish  at  Bedford  has  not  been 
so  scrupulous  as  to  refuse  benefactions  of  Prayer  Books,  even 
though  they  come  from  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Socie- 
ties. The  managers  of  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Com- 
mon Prayer  Book  Society  deemed  it  expedient,  in  their  last  report 
to  state  their  discouragements  frankly  and  earnestly,  and  to 
acknowledge  the  declining  state  of  the  institution.  They  had 
no  inducement  to  conceal  the  truth;  for  they  have  not  learned 
fanatically  to  estimate  the  goodness  of  a  cause  by  its  success  or 
its  popularity;  nor  have  they  the  weakness  to  relinquish  their 
conscientious  opinions,  because  they  are  "frowned  upon:"  aiid 
they  did  earnestly  plead  with  their  brother  Churchmen  against 
the  indulgence  of  that  "excessive  charity"  and  "erratic  liberality" 
which  passes  by  their  own  household,  to  cast  its  gifts  into  the 
overflowing  treasury  of  a  foreign  institution.  There  was  a  manli- 
ness, a  frankness  in  this  appeal  that  could  not  fail  to  recom- 
mend it  to  honourable  minds.  And  it  had  its  effect.  There  were 
Churchmen  supporters  of  the  American  Bible  Society,  and 
Christians  of  other  names,  who  generously  came  forward  on  this 
appeal,  and  contributed  to  the  funds  of  the  institution.  But 
with  you  the  sin  of  supporting  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book 
Societies  covers  a  multitude  of  excellencies,  and  you  contemptu- 
ously style  them  "young  gentlemen — reading  lectures,  etc. — and 
having  the  modesty  to  ask  clergymen  belonging  to  Bible  Societies 
to  distribute  these  censures  upon  themselves  among  their  own 
parishioners."  Here  is  a  charge  against  the  managers  of  the 
New  York  Auxiliary  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society, 
vaguely  indeed  made,  but  on  this  account  the  more  offensive, 
and  I  am  furnished  with  the  means  of  repelling  it,  and  in  justice 
it  shall  be  done. 

The  Committee  of  Arrangement  of  the  Managers  of  the  Aux- 
iliary Bible  Society  had  been  in  the  practice  for  several  years  of 
sending  a  request  to  the  Rectors  of  the  different  churches  in  the 
city  to  give  notice  of  an  address  and  collection  for  the  benefit  of 
the  society;  and  with  a  view  of  saving  them  trouble,  the  notice 
was  generally  sent  in  a  written  form — and  of  late  years  copies 
of  the  printed  report  were  also  furnished  to  be  distributed  in 
the  pews.    On  the  last  occasion,  the  following  note  and  notice 


1823]  Hobart's  "Reply."  229 

were  sent  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Milnor,  the  Rector  of  St.  George's 
Church,  with  copies  of  the  printed  report.  The  same  notice  and 
copies  of  the  report  were  also  sent  to  the  Rectors  of  the  other 
churches. 

"New  York,  Feb.  7,  1823. 

"The  Committee  of  Arrangement,  appointed  by  the  AuxiHary 
New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  having 
understood  that  it  is  intended  to  have  services  on  Sunday  evening 
next,  at  St.  George's  Chapel,  at  which  time  the  address  for  the 
benefit  of  the  society  is  to  take  place;  have  felt  it  their  duty  to 
express  to  Dr.  Milnor  their  apprehension  that  the  contemplated 
service  will  very  materially  interfere  with  the  interest  of  the 
society,  and  they  therefore  hope  that  Dr.  M.  in  compliance  with 
the  customary  courtesy  on  such  occasions,  and  from  a  regard  to 
the  depressed  situation  of  the  funds  of  the  society,  will  have  his 
service  omitted  for  that  evening.  The  Committee  will  be  happy 
to  be  informed  that  this  measure  has  been  adopted ;  and  that  the 
society  will  have  an  opportunity  of  making  an  undivided  appeal 
to  all  Episcopalians ;  and  will  receive  with  pleasure  a  line  on  the 
subject,  addressed  to  their  Secretary,  at  No.  120  Pearl  street. 

"The  Committee  would  further  beg  the  favour  of  having  the 
enclosed  notice  read  from  the  desk,  and  the  accompanying  re- 
ports distributed  in  the  pews  of  St.  George's  on  Sunday  morning 
next. 

"In  behalf  of  the  Committee  of  Arrangements. 

"Charles  Keeler,  Secretary." 

"Notice. 

"The  annual  sermon  and  collection  for  the  benefit  of  the 
Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society, 
will  take  place  in  St.  Paul's  Chapel,  this  evening,  at  seven 
o'clock. 

"The  serious  attention  of  this  congregation  is  solicited  to  the 
annual  report,  placed,  by  request  of  the  society,  in  your  pews; 
by  which  it  will  be  seen  that  this  valuable  institution,  which,  in 
a  few  years  since  its  formation  has  been  enabled  to  distribute  to 
poor  and  destitute  Episcopalians  more  than  i8,ocxd  Bibles  and 
Prayer  Books,  now  languishes  for  want  of  your  support. 

"It  remains  to  be  seen,  if  a  society  so  eminently  calculated  to 


230  Hobart's  "Reply."  [1823 

advance  the  interests  of  true  religion  and  our  Church,  shall  be 
permitted  to  cease  its  benevolent  operations,  and  to  close  the 
doors  of  its  depository  upon  the  claims  of  thousands  of  our 
brethren. 

"The  contributions  of  Episcopalians,  however  small,  will  be 
valuable ;  and  the  hope  is  anxiously  indulged,  that  the  members 
of  this  congregation  will  this  evening  signify,  by  their  attendance 
at  St.  Paul's  on  this  occasion,  a  laudable  determination  to  assist 
this  useful  institution  in  some  degree  to  its  former  flourishing 
condition." 

From  the  Rector  of  St.  George's  the  following  answer  was 
received,  addressed  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Committee  of  Ar- 
rangements : 

"Sir: 

"I  have  received  your  note  of  yesterday,  requesting  me  to 
omit  service  in  St.  George's  'Chapel'  (Church)  next  Sunday 
evening,  to  read  a  notice  with  a  subjoined  address,  which  you 
have  been  kind  enough  to  prepare  for  me,  and  to  have  the  report^ 
of  the  Auxiliary  and  Prayer  Book  Society,  by  which  it  was  ac- 
companied, distributed  in  the  pews  of  my  church  on  Sunday 
Tnorning  next. 

"With  respect  to  closing  the  church  on  Sunday  evening,  I  think 
it  proper  to  inform  the  Committee  of  Arrangements  that  the 
service  alluded  to  is  the  regular  appointment  in  St.  George's  for 
every  communion  Sunday  in  the  winter  season,  as  it  has  sub- 
sisted from  the  commencement  of  my  rectorship;  that  it  will 
cause  great  inconvenience  to  the  congregation,  and  probably  no 
little  displeasure,  on  this  occasion  to  omit  it.  The  families  under 
my  charge  are  so  widely  dispersed  over  the  city,  and  many 
reside  at  so  great  a  distance  from  the  church,  that  it  is  not  prac- 
ticable for  them,  after  being  detained  to  a  late  hour  by  the  un- 
avoidable length  of  the  morning  service,  to  attend  in  the  after- 
noon. My  practice,  therefore,  except  during  the  summer 
months,  has  been  to  postpone  the  afternoon  service  until  evening : 
and  you  will  permit  me  to  say  that  societies,  in  pursuing  their 
objects,  should  have  some  respect  to  the  previous  appointments 
of  particultr  churches,  and  that  if  they  do  not,  no  rule  of  cour- 
tesy, in  my  opinion,  requires  a  rector  to  shut  up  his  church  for 
their  accommodation.    I  mention  this,  because,  in  a  similar  way, 


1823]  Hobart's  "Reply."  231 

the  services  of  my  church  have  been  heretofore  interfered  with, 
.and  if  no  regard  is  had  in  their  arrangements  to  the  convenience 
of  myself  and  congregation,  I  shall  consider  myself  by  no  means 
bound  to  comply  with  a  request  such  as  you  have  now  made.  On 
the  present  occasion,  as  a  gentleman  most  deservedly  popular 
^as  to  preach  in  St.  George's,  and  as  the  attractions  of  his 
-eloquence  would,  no  doubt,  cause  a  very  considerable  diminution 
of  your  assemblage  in  St.  Paul's,  I  reluctantly  consent  to  the 
very  inconvenient  measure  you  propose. 

"With  respect  to  the  notice  of  the  sermon  and  collection  in  St, 
Paul's,  it  shall  be  given ;  but  I  cannot  read  the  subjoined  address, 
^nd  am  greatly  astonished  that  such  a  request  should  have  been 
anade. 

"I  am  equally  surprised  that  the  Committee  of  Arrangements, 
-with  the  knowledge  they  possess  of  my  views  in  relation  to  the 
propriety  of  Episcopalians  uniting  with  their  fellow  Christians 
in  Bible  Societies,  should  require  of  me  to  distribute  in  the  pews 
of  my  church  a  report  which  casts  injurious  imputations  on  the 
very  numerous  body  of  Episcopalians  who  concur  in  the  senti- 
ment which  I  have  maintained  and  acted  upon  for  the  last  fifteen 
years,  and  for  a  part  of  that  time  in  connection  with  the  vener- 
able Bishop  of  Pennsylvania. 

"Independently  of  my  objection  to  have  anything  brought  be- 
fore the  congregation  on  a  communion  Sunday,  calculated  to 
■divert  their  attention  from  the  solemn  duties  before  them,  I 
cannot  consistently,  and  conscientiously,  become  the  society's 
agent,  in  any  form,  in  the  circulation  of  a  report,  which,  in  my 
estimation,  does  not  assign  the  true  causes  of  the  present  de- 
pressed state  of  the  Auxiliary  and  Common  Prayer  Book  So- 
ciety, and  indulges  in  remarks  that  cannot  but  prove  offensive  to 
the  feelings  of  a  large  portion  of  their  fellow  members  of  the 
Episcopal  Church,  and  especially  of  those  under  my  pastoral 
<harge. 

"The  package  of  reports  is  therefore  returned. 
"I  am,  very  respectfully, 

"Your  obedient  servant, 

"James  Milnor. 

"St.  George's  Parsonage,  Feb.  8,  1823." 

To  the  above  the  managers  replied  as  follows : 


232  Hobart's  "Reply."  [1823 

"New  York,  Feb.  17,  1823. 
"Reverend  Sir: 

"The  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible 
and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  having  at  a  late  meeting  re- 
ceived from  their  Committee  of  Arrangements  your  letter  to 
their  Secretary  of  the  8th  inst.,  and  feeling  no  small  degree  of 
surprise  and  regret  at  the  harsh  and  criminating  tone  in  which  it 
is  dictated,  have  directed  me  to  address  you  on  the  subject. 

"Upon  a  recurrence  to  the  note  addressed  to  you  by  the  Com- 
mittee, we  are  really  at  a  loss  to  perceive,  either  in  the  matter  or 
manner  of  the  requests  contained  in  it,  any  cause  for  the  warmth 
it  appears  to  have  elicited.  The  use  of  the  word  "Chapel"  was 
evidently  an  inadvertence,  arising  from  the  former  designation 
of  St.  George's,  and  was  certainly  not  intended  to  derogate  from 
your  dignity  as  the  rector  of  that  church;  and  the  address  an- 
nexed to  the  notice  (which  you  say  we  were  so  kind  as  to  prepare 
for  you),  was  a  mere  circular  sent  without  distinction  to  all  the 
Episcopal  churches  in  the  city,  and  was  submitted  as  customary, 
by  the  committee,  from  their  knowledge  of  the  state  of  the 
society.  The  Bishop,  as  Rector  of  Trinity  Church,  has  never 
deemed  a  request  to  read  notices  sent  to  him  relative  to  collec- 
tions for  pious  objects  connected  with  our  Church,  as  either 
improper  or  disrespectful;  and  it  did  not  occur  to  our  Committee 
that  what  was  never  considered  by  our  Diocesan  as  offensive  to 
his  dignity,  would  be  esteemed  so  by  one  of  his  presbyters. 

"But  least  of  all  could  our  Committee  have  intended  any  inter- 
ference with  your  arrangements  in  the  services  of  your  church. 
When  the  appointment  was  made  by  us,  and  for  ten  days  after, 
we  were  not  aware  of  your  intention  to  have  service  on  the 
evening  selected  by  us;  and  we  would  certainly  rather  have  put 
ourselves  to  any  expense  or  inconvenience  rather  than  have 
excited  one  angry  or  uncharitable  emotion.  But  presuming  on 
your  supposed  friendship  to  a  society  of  which  you  have  been 
for  several  years  a  member,  and  having  understood  that  a 
gentleman  most  deservedly  popular  was  to  preach  in  St.  George's, 
they  took  the  liberty,  which  would  not  otherwise  have  been  used, 
to  make  the  request  so  reluctantly,  and,  we  regret  to  add,  so 
ungraciously  granted. 

"It  would  doubtless  be  construed  into  affectation  were  we  to 
profess  our  ignorance  of  the  course  pursued  by  you  in  relation 


1823]  Hobart's  "Reply."  233 

to  associations  out  of  our  Church ;  but  we  certainly  could  not  be 
supposed  to  know  that  you  were  hostile  to  our  institutions, 
formed  for  the  purpose  of  spreading  the  Gospel  in  accordance 
with  the  principles  of  our  own  communion.  Nor  could  we  be 
supposed  to  infer  that  an  attempt  on  our  part  to  impress  on  our 
fellow  Episcopalians  the  duty  of  preventing  a  valuable  and  pious 
institution,  exclusively  under  the  management  of  our  own  prim- 
itive Church,  for  languishing,  and  perhaps  becoming  extinct, 
through  want  of  their  pecuniary  assistance,  would  be  deemed 
exceptionable  by  one  of  its  ministers ;  nor  that  he  would  withhold 
from  an  intelligent  congregation  the  means  of  judging  for  them- 
selves upon  the  propriety  of  rendering  it  their  support. 

"We  certainly  did  not  suppose  that  the  members  of  an  Epis- 
copal congregation  would  be  occupied  during  service  with  the 
perusal  of  our  printed  report.  Our  design  in  wishing  it  to  be 
placed  in  the  pews  was,  that  thus  in  the  readiest  way  Episco- 
palians generally  might  be  supplied  with  it  for  perusal  at  home. 
In  this  case,  as  that  of  the  circular  notice,  the  plan  of  the  Com- 
mittee was  a  general  one,  and  a  departure  from  it  in  the  case  of 
any  one  particular  church,  whilst  there  seemed  no  necessity  to 
justify  it,  would  have  been  thought  perhaps  much  more  excep- 
tionable than  a  uniform  compliance  with  it. 

"We  are  wholly  at  a  loss  to  perceive  in  what  manner  the  report 
'casts  injurious  imputations  on  any  body  of  Episcopalians,  and 
we  should  regret  most  deeply  that  the  tenor  of  our  remarks 
should  prove  offensive  to  the  feelings  of  any  member  of  the 
Episcopal  Church. 

"It  indeed  laments  that  Episcopalians  should  neglect  the  inst- 
tutions  of  their  Church,  formed  for  the  propagation  of  the 
Gospel,  according  to  the  apostolic  faith  we  venerate ;  but  it  does 
not  impeach  or  censure,  as  you  suppose,  the  institutions  uniting 
various  denominations  of  Christians  with  which  you  have 
thought  proper  to  connect  yourself. 

"As  respects  the  truth  of  the  report,  which  you  have  so  gra- 
tuitously impeached,  we  can  only  assert  the  correctness  of  our 
intentions  and  our  own  knowledge  of  the  operations  and  state 
of  the  society;  and  we  believe  the  evidence  we  have  afforded 
the  public  of  our  sincerity,  and  their  knowledge  of  the  individuals 
who  compose  our  board,  will  sufficiently  avouch  its  veracity. 

"We  revere,  as  hightly  as  any  other  persons,  the  venerable 


234  Hobart's  "Reply."  [1823 

Bishop  of  Pennsylvania,  and  we  think  that  in  the  course  we  are 
pursuing,  we  act  fully  in  accordance  with  the  spirit  of  his  ad- 
monitions in  his  late  excellent  address,  dissuading  from  all 
admixture  with  others  unfavourable  to  the  apostolic  principles  of 
our  own  Church. 

"We  beg  leave  to  remind  you  that  our  society  is  auxiliary  to 
one  which  undertook  the  distribution  of  the  Bible  before  any 
other  in  this  city;  and  that  both  the  principal  and  the  auxiliary 
were  operating  with  the  unanimous  patronage  of  our  Church, 
and  without  opposition  from  any  quarter,  before  your  connection 
with  this  diocese.  Should  these  institutions  be  made  so  unpop- 
ular as  no  longer  to  enjoy  the  united  support  of  all  Episcopalians, 
we  shall  most  deeply  lament  the  circumstance;  but  it  will  not 
change  our  opinion  of  the  correctness  of  the  principles  on  which 
they  are  founded,  nor  of  the  policy  of  the  course  which  they 
pursue,  until  we  are  willing  to  allow  that  popularity  of  any 
system  is  the  criterion  of  its  merit,  or  apparent  success  the  evi- 
dence of  divine  favour. 

"I  am,  very  respectfully, 
"Reverend  Sir, 

"Your  most  obedient  servant, 
"Charles  W.  Sandford, 

"Corresponding  Secretary,  &c. 
"To  Rev.  James  Milnor,  D.D., 

"St.  George's  Parsonage." 

Our  readers  can  now  judge  of  the  heinousness  of  the  offence 
which  the  Manager  of  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and 
Common  Prayer  Book  Society  committed  in  the  request,  which 
they  made  of  Churches  in  New  York  who  are  connected  with 
Bible  Societies.^ 

"Corrector"  deals  at  length  with  the  charge  that  Bishop 
Hobart  disparaged  the  Word  of  God  and  would  make  the 
Prayer  Book  a  substitute  for  it. 

You  misrepresent  Bishop  Hobart  on  the  subject  of  uniting 
the  Church  of  God  with  the  Word  of  God,  in  all  efforts  for 
propagating  Christianity.  No  candid  person,  who  is  acquainted 
with  what  Bishop  Hobart  has  published  on  this  point,  can  be  at 

I.    Pages  18-26. 


1823]  Hobart's  "Reply."  236 

a  loss  to  ascertain  his  sentiments.  All  institutions,  he  maintains, 
for  propagating  the  Gospel,  and  for  distributing  the  Bible,  should 
be  conducted  under  the  authority  of  the  Church;  and  should 
never,  in  the  principle  of  the  organization,  separate  the  Word  of 
God  from  the  Church  of  God. 

The  writer  repels  the  charge  that  Bishop  Hobart  had  taught 
that  the  Liturgy  constituted  the  Word  of  God.  He  then  reiter- 
ates and  brings  proof  to  bear  upon  his  assertion  that  the  Bible 
Societies  did  separate  the  Church  of  God  from  the  Word  of 
Gofl.    He  then  concludes  this  portion  of  his  "Letter" : 

"They  do  not  act  under  the  authority  of  the  Church  of  God, 
let  that  Church  be  what  it  may — they  do  not  recognize  any 
system  of  doctrine,  any  ministry,  any  ordinances  or  mode  of 
worship,  all  of  which  are  necessary  to  constitute  a  Church  of 
God — nor  does  their  organization  admit  of  any  reference  to  these 
objects.  Bishop  Hobart  maintains  that  Episcopalians,  believing 
that  the  Episcopal  Church,  holding  the  doctrine,  ministry,  ordi- 
nances and  worship  declared  and  established  by  Christ  and  his 
apostles,  is  a  pure  and  true  Church  of  God,  should  think  it  their 
duty  to  act  under  the  authority  of  this  Church,  and  to  make  its 
propagation  the  object  of  all  their  exertions,  because  they  thus 
in  the  apostolic  mode  propagate  the  Gospel.  But  you  are  artfully 
putting  in  opposition  (strange  conduct  in  "a  Churchman")  the 
advancement  of  the  Episcopal  Church  and  the  propagation  of 
the  Gospel  make  Bishop  Hobart,  as  exclusive  advocate  of  the 
former,  indifferent  if  not  opposed  to  the  latter.  This  is  the 
effect  of  many  statements  and  representations  scattered  through 
your  pamphlet."^ 

"Corrector"  then  draws  this  striking  contrast : 

"It  was  the  characteristic  of  'the  primitive  Christians,  that 
they  continued  steadfastly  in  the  Apostles'  doctrine  and  fellow- 
ship, and  in  breaking  of  bread,  and  in  prayers.'  Now  what 
would  the  Christians  of  those  days,  the  Christians  who  drank 
deep  at  the  fountain  head  of  Divine  truth,  think  of  a  society  of 
Christians  in  modern  times,  who  meet  for  a  religious  purpose, 
the  diffusion  of  Divine  truth,  and  yet  recognize  neither  apostolic 
doctrine,    fellowship,   ordinances,   nor  worship?     What   would 

I.     Pages  38-40. 


236  Hobart's  "  Reply."  [182a 

they  think  of  a  society  extolled  as  eminently  entitled  to,  and 
eminently  enjoying,  the  favour  of  heaven,  who  on  no  occasion 
as  a  society,  unite  in  acts  of  homage  or  of  supplication  to  that 
Being,  on  whose  Providence,  and  without  doubt  with  great  sin- 
cerity, they  profess  to  depend?  In  what  light  would  the  holy 
Ignatius,  the  disciple  of  St.  John,  whose  admonition  it  was,  'he 
that  does  anything  without  the  Bishop,  and  the  Presbyters,  and 
the  Deacons,  is  not  pure  in  his  conscience,'  view  a  religious 
institution,  which,  in  its  collective  capacity  recognizes  neither 
Bishop,  Priest,  nor  Deacon?  What  would  those  holy  martyrs, 
who  met  daily  for  the  'breaking  of  bread,'  and  who,  over  the 
symbols  of  the  body  and  blood  of  their  Lord,  sealed  their  mystical 
union  with  him,  and  with  each  other,  think  of  a  number  of 
modern  Christians,  who  set  up  as  the  bond  of  Christian  unity,  a 
society  in  which  as  a  society,  neither  his  divinity,  nor  his  atone- 
ment, nor  his  Church,  nor  his  worship,  are  recognized,  but  are 
studiously  kept  out  of  view ;  which  indeed  admits  to  membership 
those  who  deny  his  divinity,  reject  his  atonement,  and  cast  away 
the  ordinances  and  the  ministry  of  his  visible  Church  ?  I  repeat 
it,  I  make  no  attack  on  individuals.  I  respect  the  character  and 
the  motives  of  men  who  hold  these  fundamental  errors.  But 
what  I  say  is  the  truth ;  and  the  occasion  demands  that  the  truth 
be  spoken. 

"I  am  perfectly  aware  of  the  reason  of  this  marked  separation 
of  the  Word  of  God  from  the  Church  of  God — that  it  is  neces- 
sary to  unite  all  Christians  in  Bible  Societies.  But  in  my  judg- 
ment no  object  can  justify  this  violation  of  principle.  It  would 
be  absurd  to  say  that  it  is  necessary  to  the  distribution  of  the 
Bible."^ 

He  then  takes  up  the  attitude  of  the  Bishops  in  England  and 
the  United  States  concerning  Bible  Societies,  and  shows  that  the 
active  support  of  the  Bible  Society  is  by  a  minority  of  the 
Bishops  in  each  country.  He  also  considers  fully  the  weakening 
of  affection  to  the  Church  by  those  joining  them,  citing  examples. 

He  comments  on  the  influence  and  tendency  of  Prayer  Meet- 
ings to  make  the  attendants  upon  them  indifferent  to  any  other 
form  of  Religion  than  the  emotional. 

1.     Page  43. 


1823]  Hobart's  "  Reply."  237 

He  opens  in  this  vigorous  manner  the  next  division  of  his 
"Letter" : 

1  pass  on  to  notice  some  of  the  most  striking 

Fallacies. 

in  the  statements  and  reasonings  of  your  Letter. 

And  I  first  notice  one,  pervading  indeed  almost  all  the  reports, 
and  the  speeches,  and  the  communications  of  the  Bible  Societies 
and  their  members,  and  which  is  certainly  sanctioned  by  the 
address,  in  1822,  of  the  President  of  the  American  Bible  Society, 
that  the  success  of  these  mstitutions  is  an  evidence  of  their  en- 
joying the  special  protection  and  favour  of  God.  I  must  be 
permitted  to  express  my  humble  opinion,  disclaiming  all  intention 
of  offence  to  any  individual,  that  this  position  contains  the  very 
essence  of  fanaticism — that  it  is  a  position  which  would  impute 
to  the  infinitely  wise  and  good  and  holy  Ruler  of  the  universe, 
an  approbation  of  all  the  means,  however  unlawful  or  improper, 
which  have  attained  success  for  any  lawful  or  proper  object — 
that  it  is  the  very  sentiment  under  the  wild  rule  of  which  the 
fanatic  has  prosecuted,  by  the  most  extravagant  and  unjustifiable 
means,  his  pious  purposes,  and  even  drenched  himself  in  blood, 
for  the  glory  of  God.  To  intimate  that  this  position  is  so  re- 
garded in  its  consequences  by  those  who  maintain  it,  would  be 
indeed  the  heighth  of  arrogance  and  uncharitableness.  But  I 
must  be  permitted  to  view  it  in  this  light ;  and  a  higher  consider- 
ation than  opposition  to  Bible  Societies  prompts  me  to  endeavour 
to  expose  it.  For  this  abuse  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Providence 
of  God  leads  some  to  doubt  or  to  deny  his  agency  in  the  govern- 
ment of  the  world,  and  others  to  sanction,  with  the  shield  of  his 
favour,  their  follies,  their  errors,  and  even  their  crimes. 

I  must  do  you  the  justice  to  say  that  you  seem  aware  of  the 
inevitable  consequences  of  your  position,  and  express  yourself 
in  respect  to  it,  as  I  conceive,  in  obscure  and  contradictory  terms. 
You  refer  (p.  40)  to  the  following  remarks  of  Bishop  Hobart, 
in  his  address  to  the  Convention:  "The  success  of  institutions 
which  are  erroneous  in  the  principle  on  which  they  are  founded, 
or  in  the  measures  which  they  adopt,  cannot  vindicate  them; 
except  on  the  maxim  that  'the  end  justifies  the  means.'  Nor  is 
this  success  to   be   considered   as   evidence   of   the   favour   of 


238  Hobart's  "  Reply."  [1823 

Heaven;  for  then  divine  sanction  would  be  obtained  for  many 
heretical  and  schismatical  sects,  which  at  various  times  have 
obtained  popularity  and  corrupted  and  rent  the  Christian 
Church." 

On  this  you  observe,  "I  cannot  but  regard  this  remark  as  in- 
tended to  rebut  the  argument  of  Governor  Jay,  in  his  late  address 
to  the  American  Bible  Society,  that  the  peculiar  circumstances 
under  which  Bible  Societies  originated;  the  wonderful  extension 
which  has  been  given  to  them;  the  unanimity  which  conflicting 
sects  have  supported  them;  and  the  events  which  have  occurred 
to  facilitate  the  distribution  of  the  Scriptures,  all  unite  to  induce 
the  belief  that  these  institutions,  together  with  other  means 
which  are  now  hastening  the  coming  in  of  the  Gentiles,  are 
providential;  and  under  this  persuasion  he  recommends  to  the 
opponents  of  the  Bible  Societies  the  counsel  of  Gamaliel." 

No  doubt  every  thing  connected  with  Bible  Societies  is 
providential;  and  so  is  every  thing  connected  with  Roman 
Catholic  error  and  Mahometan  fanaticism;  for  every  thing  in 
the  world,  bad  as  well  as  good,  is  permitted  and  controlled  by 
the  holy  Providence  of  God.  But  who  would  think  of  deducing 
hence  an  argument  in  favour  of  Roman  Catholic  error  or 
Mahometan  fanaticism?  From  so  vague  an  assertion,  that  the 
circumstances  connected  with  Bible  Societies  are  providential, 
surely  the  inference  of  Governor  Jay  (you,  sir,  have  introduced 
him  upon  this  subject)  is  a  non  sequitur,  that  they  enjoy  the 
special  favour  and  protection  of  Heaven,  and  that  those  who 
oppose  them  are  "fighting  against  God." 

But  I  think  I  hear  you  address  me — What,  sir,  do  you  mean 
to  compare  the  distribution  of  the  Bible  with  the  progress  of 
Roman  error  or  Mahometan  fanaticism?  By  no  means.  God 
forbid.  The  distribution  of  the  Bible  is  an  object  worthy  of  all 
praise.  But  there  is  an  obvious  and  important  distinction  be- 
tween the  end  and  the  means.  The  one  may  be  correct;  the 
other  quite  the  contrary.  And  the  question  is  whether  Bible 
Societies,  as  one  of  those  means  by  which  the  Bible  is  distributed, 
enjoys  the  special  favour  and  protection  of  Heaven,  so  that  they 
who  oppose  them  fight  against  God.  If  you  say  that  the 
peculiar  circumstances  connected  with  Bible  Societies  are  provi- 
dential, that  is,  according  to  the  obvious  meaning  of  the  word, 
under  the  government  of  God's  Providence,  I  answer — so  are 


1823]  Hobart's  '' Reply."  239 

all  other  circumstances,  bad  as  well  as  good.  And  if  any  argu- 
ment be  drawn  in  favour  of  Bible  Societies,  because  the  circum- 
stances connected  with  them  are  providential,  the  same  inference 
will  apply  to  "circumstances"  connected  with  the  Roman 
Catholic  error  and  Mahometan  fanaticism. 

You  must,  therefore,  mean  something  more  than  the  general 
term  "providential"  indicates.  And  without  doubt  you  do  mean 
that  the  peculiar  circumstances  connected  with  Bible  Societies 
prove  that  they  are  under  the  special  favour  and  protection  of 
Heaven.  Now,  what  are  these  peculiar  circumstances?  You 
enumerate  them  in  a  passage  which  1  have  already  quoted,  and 
in  another,  which  I  do  you  the  justice  to  state  tt  length. 

"When  we  observe  an  institution  established  in  the  midst  of 
war  and  desolation,  devoted  solely  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  the 
salvation  of  man :  when  its  propriety  and  utility  is  so  obvious 
that  the  wise  and  good,  the  excellent  of  the  earth,  however  much 
they  differ  on  other  points,  lend  it  their  unanimous  sanction; 
when  expiring  saints  rejoice  that  they  have  been  permitted  to 
labour  in  its  service;  when  Christian  nations,  with  the  single 
exception  of  such  as  are  involved  in  the  gloom  of  papal  ignorance 
and  superstition;  as  if  animated  by  one  heart  and  one  mind,  are 
yielding  to  it  their  treasures  and  their  exertions;  and  when  in 
consequence  of  this  institution  the  Gospel  has  free  course  and 
is  glorified  in  a  degree  unparalleled  since  the  days  of  the  A^xis- 
tlcs:  surely,  sir,  we  may  be  permitted  to  say,  it  is  the  Lord's 
doing,  and  it  is  marvellous  in  our  eyes,  without  being  classed 
with  the  most  ignorant  of  fanatics."^ 

Stripped  of  its  verbiage  and  its  declamation,  the  simple  mean- 
ing of  this  passage  is — that  the  success  of  the  Bible  Society,  its 
popularity,  is  an  indication  not  merely  of  the  Divine  approbation 
but  most  emphatically  of  its  being  "the  Lord's  doing."  And 
yet  in  the  sentence  immediately  preceding  this  passage  you  as- 
sert, "No  one,  I  believe,  in  the  possession  of  his  faculties,  ever 
contended  that  the  mere  success  of  an  undertaing,  of  itself,  in- 
dicated the  Divine  approbation." 

Now,  sir,  what  am  I  to  think?  "Are  you  in  the  possession  of 
your  faculties?"  (I  use  your  own  language.)  or  are  they,  on 
the  subject  of  Bible  Societies,  which  really  seems  to  intoxicate 

I.     Letter,  p.  13. 


240  Hobart's  ''Reply."  [1823 

wiser  and  stronger  heads  than  yours,  approaching  to  a  state  of 
denientation  ? 

We  can  account  for  the  success  of  Bible  Societies  without  the 
special  interposition  of  a  present  Deity. 

Nee  Deus  intersit,  nisi  dignus  vindice  nodus  Inciderit. 

Their  object  is  commendable — it  is  calculated  to  enlist  the 
feelings  in  favour  of  associations  to  advance  it  prior  to  all  ex- 
amination of  their  principles  and  tendency.  Means  were  early 
employed  to  render  them  popular.  The  imposing  apparatus  of 
Auxiliary  Societies,  and  of  a  great  number  of  vice-presidents 
and  managers,  &c.,  &c.,  was  soon  prepared.  The  love  of  oliftce 
in  some,  and  a  carelessness  of  declining  it  in  others,  operated 
in  favour  of  these  plans.  Other  considerations  had  their  effect. 
It  is  unpleasant  to  decline  pressing  solicitations — to  withdraw 
one's  name  when  it  is  brought  forward — to  oppose  oneself  to 
popular  impulse,  to  the  fashion  of  the  day — and  to  encounter 
misrepresentations  and  denunciation.  Kings  and  noblemen 
(whose  patronage  you,  though  a  good  republican,  seem  very 
fond  of  blazoning  forth  in  lengthened  columns)  are  not  very 
much  in  the  habit,  it  is  to  be  feared,  of  inquiring  either  as  to  the 
principles  or  the  tendency  of  religious  associations,  except  as 
far  as  personal  ambition,  or  political  consequence,  may  be 
affected  by  them — and  Bible  Societies  were  engines  for  this 
purpose  not  to  be  neglected.^ 

Dr.  Mant,  particularly  odious  to  the  party  in  the  Church  of 
England  who  supported  Bible  Societies,  was  lately  made  Bishop 
of  Killaloe  and  Kilfenora,  and  has  more  recently  been  advanced 
to  the  valuable  see  of  Down  and  Connor.  At  about  the  very 
time  that  Lord  Liverpool  was  delivering  a  speech  in  favour  of 
Bible  Societies,  Dr.  Beresford,  the  Archbishop  of  Dublin, 
seceded  from  the  Hibernia  Society  and  was  soon  after  translated 
to  the  Archbishopric  of  Armagh,  the  metropolitan  see  of  Ireland. 
And  we  have  not  heard  of  the  zeal  of  his  distinguished  suc- 


I.  It  is  a  little  singular,  that  the  British  Ministry,  who  are  represented  as 
being  so  exceedingly  zealous  for  Bible  Societies,  almost  invariably  promote 
those  Clergy  of  the  Church  who  are  not  in  favour  of  these  societies.  Dr. 
Tomline,  who,  the  "Churchman"  asserts,  while  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  delivered 
so  violent  a  Charge  against  Bible  Societies  that  he  was  afraid  or  ashamed  to 
print  it,  has  been  lately  translated  to  the  very  rich  see  of  Winchester. 


1823]  Hobart's  *' Reply."  241 

cesser,  Dr.  Magee,  in  the  see  of  Dublin,  in  favour  of  Bible 
Societies.     Other  cases  might  be  stated. 

The  powerful  machinery  of  Bible  Anniversaries  was  soon  set 
in  motion.  On  these  occasions  every  gratification  is  afforded  to 
personal  vanity;  by  a  system  of  mutual  compliment,  each  man 
exalts  the  other;  speeches  can  be  made  and  printed,  and  pane- 
gyrized, and  together  with  the  names  of  those  who  moved  and 
those  who  seconded  resolutions,  on  those  memorable  occasions 
recorded  in  archives  aere  perennius.  Alas,  poor  human  nature! 
What  an  alloy  tarnishes  thy  best  purposes!  What  undignified 
means  must  often  be  resorted  to  in  order  to  rouse  thy  feelings 
even  in  a  good  cause! 

"Corrector"  examines  the  claim  of  the  direct  agency  for  suc- 
cess of  Bible  Societies  and  the  great  good  done  by  them  in  all 
parts  of  the  world.  He  cites  Bishop  Jackson's  reasons  for  with- 
drawing from  the  Hibernian  Bible  Society,  and  says  that  an 
enlargement  of  the  resources  of  the  two  great  Missionary 
Societies  of  the  Church  of  England  would  have  accomplished 
similar  results  without  obscuring  results.  He  advocates  a 
separate  organization  for  "Dissenters".  "Corrector"  also  takes 
up  the  claim  that  these  societies  circulate  the  Bible  "without  note 
or  comment."  The  addresses  and  reports  which  they  circulated 
very  largely  sometimes  containing  expositions  of  prophesy  and 
comments  upon  various  passages  of  Holy  Scripture,  he  con- 
siders to  be  notes  and  comments  which  bias  and  influence  the 
minds  of  those  who  read  them. 

"Corrector"  then  commences  a  new  portion  of  his  review  of 
a  Churchman's  "Letter" : 

From  the  fallacies  in  your  pamphlet  I  pass  on  to  notice  cur- 
sorily the 

Rhapsody  and  Ostentation 

which  appear  conspicuous  in  almost  every  page.  Bishop  Hobart 
had  published  an  address  in  which  he  very  calmly,  and,  by  your 
confession,  "courteously,"  stated  his  objections  to  Bible  So- 
cieties, and  urged  Episcopalians  to  direct  their  efforts  ot  the 
propagation  of  the  Gospel  by  the  institutions  of  their  own 
church.  This  you  resented  as  "renewing  hostilities"  against  the 
American  Bible  Society.  "You  have  engaged,"  is  your  language 
(i6) 


242  Hobart's  "Reply."  [1823 

to  him,  "in  a  warfare,  in  which  the  cause  of  the  Bible  has  been 
crowned  with  victory,  and  in  which  mortification  of  defeat  has 
ever  been  imbittered  by  the  conviction  that  the  power  of  the 
victor  has  been  confirmed  and  extended  by  the  very  endeavour 
to  shake  it."  And  you  advance  most  fearlessly  to  the  contest. 
In  such  a  warfare  no  friend  of  the  society  can  for  a  moment 
hesitate  to  engage,  through  apprehensions  of  the  issue — nay,  the 
very  stripling  whose  youthful  limbs  refuse  the  burden  of  the 
coat  of  mail,  and  the  sword  of  the  warrior,  may  fearlessly  enter 
the  field,  trusting  alone  to  that  God  in  whose  cause  he  combats, 
and  with  no  armour  but  truth,  and  no  weapon  but  common  sense, 
he  will  most  assuredly  vanquish  the  proudest  Goliath  that  may 
dare  him  to  the  fight.  ^ 

In  another  very  fine,  and  poetical,  and  pathetic  passage,  you 
point  out  the  hopeless  destitution  of  those  whose  "home  is  on 
the  deep" ;  and  the  conclusion  of  your  rhapsody  is  that  Bishop 
Hobart  opposed  the  Mariner's  Church.^ 

But  when  you  turn  your  view  for  a  moment  to  the  "mighty 
triumphs  and  stupendous  labours"  and  "imposing  grandeur  and 
magnificence"  of  the  American  Bible  Society,  your  imagination 
indeed  takes  wings,  and  in  her  soaring  flight  glances  from  the 
"British  Isles"  to  the  "Continent,"  from  "Iceland"  to  "Malta," 
from  "Asia"  to  "Africa,"  from  "one  extremity  of  Hindoostan 
to  the  other,  from  Bombay  to  Calcutta,  from  Madras  to 
Columbo,  from  New  Holland  to  Amboyna,"  from  the  "Cape  of 
Good  Hope"  to  "Sierra  Leone,  Caledon,  Mauritius,  and  Bour- 
bon;" from  "Africa"  to  "North  America,"  from  "Hudson's 
Bay  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  from  Missouri  to  the  Atlantic."^ 
And  were  you  not  afraid  by  this  time  she  would  have  been  out 
of  breath?  No;  you  knew  too  well  her  spirit  and  her  lofty 
daring.  Again  she  soars  with  renewed  strength,  and  she  sees 
Bishop  Hobart,  in  his  opposition  to  the  American  Bible  Society, 
"exerting  his  talents  and  influence"  to  lock  up  this  "flood-gate  of 
mercy,"  to  quench  this  "sun  which  has  arisen,  unexpectedly  and 
gloriously,  to   illumine  the  dark  horizon  of  a   fallen  world."* 


1.  Letter,  p.  3. 

2.  Ibid.,  pp.  3,  4- 

3.  Ibid.,  pp.  49,  50. 

4.  Ibid.,  p.  so. 


1823]  Hobart's  "  Reply."  243 

What  a  terrible  man,  to  attempt  to  "lock  up  a  flood-gate,"  to 
quench  the  sun !  And  he  is  as  foolish  and  impious  as  terrible-^ 
for  he  endeavours,  "with  his  newspaper  publications,  and  his 
pastoral  letters,  and  his  addresses,  and  his  Convention  charges, 
to  stem  that  pure  river  of  the  water  of  life,  proceeding  out  of 
the  throne  of  God  and  the  Lamb,  which  is  now  refreshing  and 
fertilizing  the  waste  places  of  the  earth,  and  causing  the  wilder- 
ness to  rejoice  and  blossom  as  the  rose."^ 

Truly,  sir,  1  do  not  know  whether  your  imagination  has  lately 
visited  the  "spot  where  the  apostle  of  the  Gentiles  once  preached 
to  his  polished  and  philosophic  hearers,"  their  "unknown  God,"'' 
and  quickened  her  fervours  at  the  fountain  at  Helicon.  But  she 
certainly  has  given  you  the  slip,  and  been  dabbling  in  streams 
not  quite  so  classical — the  reports  and  the  speeches,  &c.,  of  Bible 
Societies.  And  to  convince  you  that  I  do  not  slander  her,  I 
must  request  you  to  do  me  the  justice  to  accompany  me  while  we 
glance  at  a  few  passages  in  these  valuable  documents. 

"In  tracing  the  progress  of  the  wonderful  society,  we  are 
irresistibly  led  to  ascribe  the  whole  to  the  mighty  power  of  God, 
for  who  can  hear  of  these  signs  and  wonders  of  the  times  with- 
out exclaiming.  This  is  the  finger  of  God ;  this  is  the  working  of 
that  Spirit  who  worketh  all  and  in  all.  Hibernian  Society's 
address,  14th  Report,  p.  54."  "And  in  the  account  of  a  recent 
anniversary,  after  much  hesitancy  as  to  which  of  the  speakers, 
lay  or  clerical,  the  meed  of  sacred  eloquence  was  due,  and  after 
an  acknowledgment  that  it  was  impossible,  in  a  brief  notice,  to 
convey  an  adequate  idea  of  the  delightful  and  solemn  feeling 
elicited  by  the  appropriate  and  eloquent  addresses  of  the  different 
speakers."^     It  was  at  last  decided  "that  the  finer  feelings  of 


1.  Letter,  p.  78. 

2.  Ibid.,  p.  48. 

3.  The  apotheosis  of  Mr.  Grant,  already  on  record,  deserves  to  be  kept 
in  continual  remembrance.  "The  enraptured  Heathens  exclaimed,  The  Gods 
are  coming  to  us  in  the  likeness  of  men."  "To  me,"  says  Mr.  Owen,  "the 
terms  of  the  statement  require  to  be  inverted,  in  order  to  suit  the  circum- 
stances of  the  case.  I  saw  in  the  speaker  no  mortal  like  myself.  To  my 
view  he  seemed  to  have  wrapped  himself  in  the  skirts  of  that  garment  with 
which  the  Father  of  light  is  covered,  and  while  he  appeared  to  reflect  a 
lustre  borrowed  from  the  Divinity  itself,  methinks  I  could  have  found  in  my 
heart  to  exlaim,  Men  are  come  among  us  in  the  likeness  of  God."  Owen's 
Speech. 


244  Hobart's  "Reply."  [1823 

the  assembly  had  been  touched  in  no  common  degree  by  the 
Rev.  Lewis  Way;"  and  such  indeed  was  the  impression  made 
by  this  annual  festival  that  few,  if  any,  could  leave  the  room 
without  gratefully  exclaiming,  "what  hath  God  wrought!" 
14th  Report,  p.  91,  and  i8th  Monthly  Extract.  "The  language 
of  grateful  acknowledgment  and  heartfelt  joy,"  called  forth  by 
the  Bible  distributed  through  its  liberality,  is  echoed  from  the 
Caspian  to  the  Mississippi,  and  from  the  recesses  of  Iceland  to 
the  extremities  of  New  Holland."  13th  Rep.  Hib.  Bible  Soc. 
p.  30.  See  also  Mr.  C.  Grant's  Speech,  ib.  p.  55.  "It  embraces 
in  its  wide  domain  all  Christian  sects,  and  the  most  considerable 
personages  of  the  state,  the  men  most  distinguished  for  rank, 
talents  and  character."  14th  Report,  p.  71.  This,  however,  is 
flat  compared  with  the  following  extract.  The  one  "voice,  and 
one  wish,  which  it  has  raised  for  the  Bible,  and  which  it  has  now 
to  satisfy,  is  heard  from  the  recesses  of  the  Continent,  and  from 
the  Isles  of  the  Sea.  It  is  borne  on  the  bosom  of  the  waves 
from  the  Western  Isles,  skirts  the  shores  of  the  Western  Con- 
tinent, re-echoes  through  the  valleys,  trembles  along  the  cliffs, 
and  thunders  through  the  continent  of  the  Eastern  World." 
loth  Report  of  Philadelphia  Bible  Society.^ 

He  then  makes  extracts  from  the  report  of  the  last  anniver- 
sary of  the  American  Bible  Society,  and  comments  on  it : 

Now  if  a  stranger  to  Bible  Societies  and  to  Christianity  were 
to  witness  the  parade  which  annually  takes  place  at  their  anni- 
versary meetings,  the  long  note  of  preparation,  the  beating  up 
of  the  attendance  from  all  quarters  of  the  Union,  the  resolutions 
after  resolutions  of  thanks,  thanks,  thanks,  the  speakers  adulating 
Bible  Societies,  adulating  each  other,  adulating  almost  every 
body  but  their  unfortunate  brethren,  the  members  of  the  Bible 
and  Common  Prayer  Book  Societies.  Witnessing  the  machinery 
of  parade,  this  flood  of  adulation,  annually  offered,  w^ould  he 
believe  that  those  engaged  in  it  were  the  disciples  of  a  humble 
and  unostentatious  Master?  The  professors  of  a  religion,  which 
while  it  commands  us  to  our  good  actions,  to  let  our  light  shine 

I.  This  extract  is  taken  from  an  able  pamphlet  entitled  "Reasons  for  with- 
drawing from  the  Hibernian  Bible  Society,"  &c.,  by  James  Edward  Jackson, 
published  about  the  time  that  the  present  Metropolitan  of  Ireland  withdrew 
from  that  Society. 


1823]  Hobart's  "Reply."  245 

before  men:  enjoins  us  no  professions  of  parade,  not  to  let  our 
right  hand  know  what  our  left  hand  doeth ;  and  would  he  believe 
that  these  systems  of  display  and  adulation,  not  exceeded  by  any 
pf  the  institutions  of  the  children  of  this  world;  were  not  only 
countenanced  but  actively  engaged  in  by  Sainted  "Buchanan, 
and  Boudinot,  and  Owen." 

"Corrector"  devotes  a  short  paragraph  to  a  Churchman's 
''intolerance  which  was  shown  by  his  use  of  invective,  his  epithet 
and  his  misrepresentations." 

He  proceeds  thus : 

The  Want  of  Delicacy 

decidedly  marks  the  spirit  and  the  manner  in  which  you  come 
forward  in  your  Letter.  It  marks  almost  every  expression 
which  you  use,  and  allusion  which  you  make  to  Bishop  Hobart; 
the  style  of  your  address  to  whom  is  often  pert,  and  bold,  and 
overbearing.  It  appears  in  the  personalities  of  your  Letter — 
in  the  manner  in  which  you  so  often  introduce  Governor  Jay 
and  the  Report  of  the  Bedford  Prayer  Book  Society — and  par- 
ticularly in  your  introduction  of  the  name  of  a  certain  individual, 
and  thus  reviving  recollections  that  an  ingenious,  and  kind,  and 
noble-minded  man,  and  particularly  "a  Churchman,"  would  wish 
to  bury  for  ever.  It  appears  in  your  gross  comparison,  utterly 
without  necessity,  of  the  parochial  zeal  and  fidelity  of  your 
diocesan  and  his  assistant  clergy,  with  those  of  your  favourite, 
the  Rector  of  St.  George's,  and  others.  Sir,  I  have  often  thrown 
down  my  pen  with  revolting  disgust  when  tracing  you  in  your 
course,  and  have  resumed  with  infinite  reluctance,  only  from  the 
imperious  claims  of  truth  and  justice. 

What  but  a  want  of  delicate  regard  to  feeling  and  to  charac- 
ter, could  lead  you  to  impute  to  those  of  the  Clergy  who  think 
and  act  on  the  subject  of  Bible  Societies  with  their  diocesan,  a 
spirit  of  dependence?  Sir,  has  no  man  any  conscience,  or  inde- 
pendence, unless  he  thinks  and  acts  with  you,  in  a  part,  and 
continued,  and  persevering  opposition  to  Bishop  Hobart?  It 
requires  no  great  strength  of  intellect,  though  doubtless  it  does 
a  little  modest  assurance,  on  all  occasions  to  bluster  about  one's 
independence.    The  truly  independent  man  talks  less  about  it. 

One  would  think  that  it  would  be  a  matter  of  gratification  to 


246  Hobart's  "Reply."  [1823 

see  the  Clergy  united  in  principle  and  in  views  of  policy  with 
their  Bishop.  Even  admit  that,  as  the  mode  of  distributing  the 
Bible,  the  Clergy  yielded  their  own  opinions  to  that  of  their 
diocesan ;  is  the  point  an  essential  one  on  which  they  should  obey 
God  rather  than  man  ?  Without  doubt,  the  harmony  which  sub- 
sists in  this  diocese  is  not  very  agreeable  to  those  who  are 
hostile  to  the  official  character  and  principles  of  Bishop  Hobart; 
and  no  matter  what  injury  results  to  the  Church — ruat  ecclesia 
— he  must  be  put  down.    On  the 

DiSINGENUOUSNESS 

that  characterizes  your  Letter  I  need  not  dwell,  after  having 
pointed  out  (though  the  detail  is  not  perfect)  the  misrepresenta- 
tions with  which  it  abounds. 

You  are  disengenuous  in  the  charge  of  speculation  against  the 
Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society, 
as  to  selling  Bibles,  when,  in  this  respect  they  not  only  did  what 
is  systematically  done  by  the  American  Bible  Society — sold 
Bibles  to  those  who  wished  to  purchase  them  at  a  reduced  price. 

You  disengenuously  represent  Bishop  Hobart  as  opposed  to 
the  religious  instruction  of  the  seamen,  whose  case  you  very 
pathetically,  but  rather  hyperbolically,  state;  because,  as  you 
suppose,  he  was  the  writer  of  some  pieces  in  which  Episcopalians 
are  cautioned  against  contributing  to  "the  erection  of  a 
Church  where  there  was  to  be  precisely  the  admixture  of 
administrations,"  against  which  the  "venerable  Bishop  of  Penn- 
sylvania" so  earnestly  cautions.  This  writer  foresaw  it  must, 
and  would,  become  the  "Church"  of  some  one  denomination, 
and  it  was  not  difficult  to  tell  which  that  would  be.  It  is  now, 
unless  I  am  mistaken,  virtually  a  Presbyterian  Church. 

Again,  you  disengenuously  represent  Bishop  Hobart  as  indif- 
ferent, and  even  opposed,  to  the  propagation  of  the  Gospel 
among  the  Heathen.  And  on  what  grounds?  Merely  because 
he  may  think  that,  under  the  present  circumstances  of  the 
Episcopal  Church  and  of  the  destitute  condition  of  many  parts 
of  our  own  country,  it  is  expedient  that  Episcopalians  confine 
their  exertions  at  home,  and  of  course  (believing  their  own 
Church  at  least  to  be  the  best),  to  the  propagation  of  the  Gospel, 
as  professed  by  their  own  Church: — and  because,  alive,  as  he 
must  be,  to  the  pressing  wants  (so  frequently  meeting  his  view 


1823]  Hobart's  "Reply."  247 

and  urged  upon  him)  of  his  own  diocese,  which  presents  a  most 
extensive  field  for  Missionary  labour,  he  is  apprehensive  that 
any  systematic  plan  for  Missionary  collections  to  be  appropriated 
elsewhere,  might  seriously  interfere  with  the  Missionary  plan 
of  this  diocese,  established  by  the  canons  of  the  Church.  Very 
principally  to  the  operation  of  this  plan  does  this  diocese,  under 
the  Divine  blessing  ow^e  its  prosperity,  the  Clergy  have  been 
nearly  doubled  in  number  within  ten  or  twelve  years;  and  it  is 
notorious  that,  in  many  parts  of  this  state.  Episcopal  congrega- 
tions could  be  formed  could  Missionary  aid  be  procured.  On 
the  Missionary  plan  of  this  diocese  you  do  not  even  pass  "a 
freezing  recommendation."  Doubtless  there  is  reason  for  this : 
it  would  be  unpardonable  to  suppose  that  you  act  without 
any  reason,  and  without  a  powerful  one. 

"Corrector"  assumes  that  the  reason  is  because  Bishop  Hobart 
is  a  member  of  the  Missionary  Board.  He  assumes  also  that  a 
Churchman  does  not  contribute  to  diocesan  missions,  "although 
three  members  of  the  family  had  given  $150  for  Foreign  Mis- 
sions and  allowed  the  Rector  of  Bedford,  a  very  excellent  and 
amiable  man,  to  trudge  through  the  streets  of  New  York  collect- 
ing petty  subscriptions  to  build  a  Parsonage  House." 

He  continues : 

But  I  repeat  it — I  am  weary  of  my  task,  and  must  have  done. 
One  point  more.    I  name  it  with  inexpressible  reluctance : 

The  Ungentlemanly  and  Unchristian 

tenour  and  style  of  the  Letter  of  "a  Churchman  of  the  Diocese 
of  New  York."  I  will  not  go  into  details — I  rest  on  two  in- 
stances. A  Letter  was  republished  in  this  country,  addressed 
by  the  Rev.  Henry  Handley  Norris,  curate  of  Hackney  and 
Prebendary  of  Llandaff,  to  Lord  Liverpool.  I  assert,  on  the 
best  information,  that  Mr.  Norris  is  a  Clergyman  of  excellent 
character,  who  devotes  munificently  the  income  of  a  large 
fortune  to  the  purposes  of  pious  benevolence.^  He  has  built 
entirely  at  his  own  expense  a  Chapel  in  the  parish  of  Hackney, 
and  made  permanent  provision  for  service  in  it.  He  is  a  leading 
and  active  member  of  the  Church  of   England  Societies,   for 


I.     He  gave   lOO  1.  sterling  to  the  General  Theological   Seminary  of  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  the  United  States. 


243  Hobart's  ♦' Reply. '^  [182a 

Propagating  the  Gospel  and  for  Promoting  Christian  Knowl- 
edge, and  for  National  Education.  He  enjoys  the  particular 
confidence  of  the  Bishops  of  London  and  Llandafif,  and  of  other 
eminent  dignitaries  of  the  Church.  He  was  the  intimate  friend 
and  correspondent  of  that  profound  and  accomplished  scholar^ 
the  eminent  prelate,  Bishop  Middleton,  the  late  Bishop  of  Cal- 
cutta. At  the  lamented  death  of  this  exalted  Bishop  the  Society 
for  the  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge  resolved  to  erect  a 
monument  to  his  memory  in  St.  Paul's,  and  appropriated  £5,000 
sterling  to  this  object,  and  appointed,  to  carry  it  into  effect,  a 
Committee  consisting  of  several  dignitaries  of  the  Church  and 
distinguished  Laymen.  In  this  object,  the  Society  for  Propa- 
gating the  Gospel  requested  to  unite,  and  on  their  part  associated 
for  this  purpose  with  the  Committee,  two  Clergymen,  the  Rev. 
H.  H.  Norris,  and  the  Rev.  J.  Lonsdale.^  And  this  Clergyman, 
the  Rev.  H.  H.  Norris,  the  associate  (for  the  purpose  of  erecting 
a  monument  of  grateful  veneration  to  the  memory  of  the  Bishop 
of  Calcutta)  of  the  Bishop  of  Canterbury,  the  Bishop  of  Lon- 
don, the  Bishop  of  Llandaff,  Lord  Kenyon,  the  Archdeacon  of 
London,  the  Archdeacon  of  Middlesex,  the  Archdeacon  of 
Colchester,  and  others;  one  of  two  representatives  on  this 
occasion  of  the  venerable  Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel — 
is  styled,  by  a  member  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in 
America,  which  is  indebted  to  this  Society  "for  her  foundation 
and  a  long  continuance  of  nursing  care  and  protection,"  by  a 
leading  member  of  a  congregation,  which,  unless  I  am  much 
mistaken,  once  enjoyed  the  bounty  of  this  very  Society — amidst 
many  other  gentlemanly  and  Christian  designations — a  "black- 
guard.""   I  make  no  comments. 

"Corrector"  gives  another  instance;  the  ranking  of  Bishop 
Hobart  with  the  Pope,  Mr.  Cobbett  and  the  Devil,  in  the  opposi- 
tion to  Bible  Societies.  With  keen  irony  he  shows  the  badness 
of  the  cause  that  must  make  allegations  like  that  and  determine 
that  it  is  purely  malicious  on  the  part  of  a  Churchman,  for 
Bishop  Hobart's  opposition  has  benefitted  instead  of  injuring  the 
Bible  Society  by  his  opponent's  own  admission.  He  then  sums 
up: 


1.  Christian  Journal,  number  for  May,  1823. 

2.  Letter,  p.  75. 


1823]  Hobart's  "Reply."  249 

In  conclusion — Let  me  give  you  some  advice,  which,  however 
it  may  be  received,  is  really  well  intended;  and  I  will  give  it  to 
you  in  the  words  of  that  volume,  for  the  distribution  of  which 
you  are,  it  must  be  admitted,  a  very  zealous,  but,  I  cannot  think, 
very  fortunate  advocate.  "Study  to  be  quiet  and  mind  your  own 
business" — "Think  not  more  highly  of  yourself  than  you 
ought  to  think."  Elated  by  an  adventitious  circumstance  (no 
man  has  any  merit  in  being  born  with  a  peculiar  name),  and 
inordinately  vain  of  some  readiness,  flippancy,  and  command  of 
language,  and  (to  do  you  justice)  of  no  common  industry  in 
any  cause  that  excites  your  passions,  you  seem  to  think  yourself 
privileged  to  say  any  thing  of  "your  Bishop"  that  comes  into 
your  mind,  or  answers  your  purpose ;  and,  as  an  oracle,  to  pro- 
nounce in  all  Church  matters  your  decision,  and  to  expect  "your 
Bishop"  and  his  Clergy  to  bow  to  it.  And  yet  you  will  hereafter, 
I  think,  find  yourself  as  hitherto,  in  a  woeful  mistake.  The 
real  Churchmen  of  the  diocese  of  New- York  will  not  be  shackled 
by  your  authority ;  and  "your  Bishop"  and  his  Clergy,  or  I 
greatly  overrate  their  good  sense  and  good  principles,  will  do 
what  seemeth  to  them  right,  without  troubling  themselves  much 
as  to  the  denunciations  which  their  conduct  may  excite  in  the 
"Churchman  of  the  Diocese  of  New-York,"  or  the  invectives 
which  it  may  call  forth  from  him.  At  least  so  most  assuredly 
will  one,  who,  notwithstanding  the  plainness  with  which  he  has 
thought  it  his  duty  to  deal  with  you,  is  entirely  your  well-wisher. 

Corrector. 
New- York,  May  i6,  1823. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

CONTENTS. 

Second  Letter  from  Judge  Jay  —  Illness  of  Bishop  Hobart  and  His  Trip  to 
Canada  —  Reply  of  "Corrector"  —  Answer  from  Judge  Jay  —  Bishop  Ho- 
bart's  Reply  in  a  "Note." 

IN  the  Opinion  of  many  who  read  both  the  pamphlets, 
"Corrector"  fully  met  the  accusations  and  insinuations 
of  "A  Churchman."  There  were,  however,  some  staunch 
upholders  of  the  American  Bible  Society  who  thought  that 
the  countercharges  made  should  be  refuted.  Judge  Jay  soon 
prepared  another  "Letter"  abandoning  his  assumed  name.  He 
maintains  his  former  allegations  and  points  out  the  lack  of  dig- 
nity and  courtesy  which  he  thinks  is  to  be  found  in  the  statements 
of  "Corrector." 

He  defends  himself  against  his  opponent's  characterization  of 
him,  and  accuses  the  Bishop  of  wantonly  wounding  him  in  his 
tenderest  susceptibilities. 

A  Letter. 
"Right  Reverend  Sir : 

"On  perusing  the  Reply  lately  published  to  a  Churchman's 
Letter  to  you,  I  observed  that  it  represented  me  as  being  the 
writer  of  that  letter.  It  appeared  to  me  that  they  who  should 
read  and  attend  to  the  contents  of  them  both,  would  not  be  at 
a  loss  to  estimate  their  relative  merits;  and  that  the  necessity, 
and  perhaps  propriety  of  replying  to  that  answer  might  be  ques- 
tioned. It  being  at  length  ascertained  that  you  avow  yourself 
the  author  of  that  answer.  I  do  not  hesitate  to  admit  that  the 
Letter  to  which  it  is  a  Reply  was  written  by  me.  In  that 
pamphlet  you  have  taken  liberties  with  my  personal  character, 
which  neither  became  the  respect  due  to  your  own  nor  the 
justice  due  to  mine.  Invectives  from  the  pen  of  a  Bishop  natur- 
ally excite  inquiry  and  attention,  and  therefore  cannot  with 
propriety  be  consigned  like  anonymous  obloquy  to  silent  con- 
tempt. 

250 


1823]  Jay's  Second  Letter.  251 

"The  frequent  reviews  of  Episcopal  Addresses  both  in  England 
and  this  country,  prove  that  those  publications  are  not  deemed 
too  sacred  to  be  subjected  to  the  investigation  of  criticism;  and 
a  review  in  the  Christian  Journal  (a  magazine  enjoying  your 
immediate  patronage)  of  a  personal  letter  by  Bishop  Griswold, 
in  which  the  Bishop  is  said  *to  have  confused  and  bewildered  a 
plain  subject,'^  evinces  that  the  conductors  of  that  Journal  do 
not  deem  it  inconsistent  with  the  obligations  of  a  Churchman 
to  animadvert,  in  strong  terms,  on  the  official  addresses  of  the 
Bishops  of  his  Church.  Bishop  Griswold  in  his  reply  observes: 
'What  is  published  to  the  World  is  opened  to  criticism,  and  it 
is  just  and  desirable  that  the  errors  of  those  who  pretend  to 
teach  others  should  be  detected  and  exposed.  I  claim  no  ex- 
emption from  censure.'^ 

"In  venturing  therefore  to  criticize  your  late  Address,  I  do  not 
arrogate  a  doubtful  or  disputed  right,  nor  commit  an  act  un- 
sanctioned by  precedent. 

"My  review  of  your  official  Address  was  in  the  form  of  a 
letter,  but  that  letter  was  anonymous,  because  I  was  under  no 
obligations  whatever  to  attach  my  name  to  it,  and  because  the 
arguments  of  facts  in  it  had  no  possible  connection  with  the 
name  or  character  of  its  author. 

"In  your  Reply,  however,  you  have  seen  fit  to  disregard  all 
courtesies  usually  paid  to  anonymous  opponents;  you  acknowl- 
edge that  you  present  me  'm  propria  persona/  and  charitably 
declare  that  your  reluctance  in  thus  presenting  me  is  much 
diminished  by  the  consideration  that  if  'my  character  is  not 
much  mistaken,  a  ruling  passion  in  the  human  breast  is  highly 
flattered  by  being  even  thus  pointed  out  as  the  author  of  a  letter 
to  the  Right  Rev.  Bishop  Hobart.' 

"To  what  passion  is  to  be  attributed  the  open  avowal  of  the 
publication  I  am  now  considering,  you  have  not  thought  proper 
to  inform  us ;  but  it  is  fair  to  presume  that  had  you  supposed 
that  my  name  could  add  weight  to  my  arguments  you  would  not 
have  exposed  it,  and  had  you  not  expected  that  your  name 
would  give  effect  to  the  Reply,  you  would  have  concealed  it." 

Judge  Jay  then  considers  "Corrector's"  personal  allusions  and 

1.  For  January,  1822. 

2.  Christian  Journal,  July,  1822. 


262  Jay'B  Second  |L.etter.  [182S 

says :  "Invective,  Sir,  is  a  cheap,  and  often  a  very  convenient  sub- 
stitute for  argument,  which  ought  not  to  be  used  by  one  whose 
profession  and  office  pecuHarly  require  him  to  enforce  by  example 
as  well  as  precept,  the  Scriptural  injunction,  'Let  all  bitterness 
^nd  wrath  and  anger  and  clamour,  and  evil  speaking,  be  put 
away  from  you.'  The  personal  reflections  in  which  you  have 
thought  proper  to  indulge  may,  it  is  true,  assist  in  drawing  the 
attention  of  your  readers  from  the  real  merits  of  the  question  at 
issue;  but  it  will  hardly  be  considered  as  a  happy  illustration  of 
the  rules  you  have  given  for  the  management  of  religious  con- 
troversy." 

"He  quotes  from  Bishop  Hobart's  "Cotnpanion  for  the  Fes- 
tivals and  Fasts"  to  show  his  departure  from  the  rule  he  had 
laid  down.  In  a  note  he  gives  the  particulars  of  the  contribution 
by  members  of  "a  Churchman's"  family  of  $150  to  a  missionary 
society,  and  explains  that  it  was  a  contribution  to  the  Domestic 
and  Foreign  Missionary  Society  of  the  Church  authorized  by 
the  General  Convention.  He  resents  the  insinuation  that  these 
contributors  had  been  illiberal  toward  their  Rector  and  the 
building  of  a  parsonage  house  at  Rye.  He  passes  in  review  the 
specific  charges  which  "Corrector"  has  brought  against  him. 
In  refuting  that  of  vanity  and  ostentation  he  says :  "I  am  at  a 
loss  to  discover  those  indecorums  which  you  regard  as  justifying 
the  use  of  language  which  most  gentlemen  would  have  deemed 
forbidden  by  the  respect  due  to  themselves,  if  not  to  their  op- 
ponents." He  acknowledges  that  he  had  "animadverted  freely 
on  the  sentiments  and  assertions  contained  in  your  official  pub- 
lications which  I  have  no  wish  to  deny,  but  that  I  impeached 
your  motives  or  made  the  slightest  insinuation  against  the  purity 
and  correctness  of  your  private  character  cannot  be  pretended. 
While  speaking  of  the  activity  of  your  opposition  to  Bible  Socie- 
ties, I  admitted  that  it  had  been  'always  free  from  offensive  per- 
sonalities.' "****♦****** 

"If  by  hostility  to  yourself,  you  mean  a  difference  in  opinion 
from  you  on  certain  subjects  connected  with  our  Church,  I  must 
with  several  of  our  Bishops,  and  many  of  the  clergy,  plead 
guilty  to  the  charge;  but  if  you  intend  personal  enmity  I  am 
utterly  unconscious  of  having  harboured  in  my  breast  any  un- 
friendly feelings  towards  you  as  an  individual,  nor  had  I  until 
the  appearance  of  your  Reply,  reason  to  suspect  that  I  was  the 
subject  of  such  feelings  in  your  own. 


1823]  Jay's  Second  Letter.  253 

"You  accuse  me  of  want  of  delicacy  in  my  frequent  introduc- 
tions of  tlie  name  of  the  President  of  the  American  Bible 
Society.  Had  you  not,  sir,  given  him  a  conspicuous  place  in 
your  address  it  would  have  been  unnecessary  for  me  to  allude 
to  him.  It  was  very  obvious  from  the  language  of  that  address 
that  it  was  particularly  pointed  at  that  gentleman,  and  had  there 
been  any  doubt  of  your  intention,  it  would  now  be  removed  by 
you  avowal  (page  i6)  ;  that  'months  after'  the  address  of  the 
President  of  the  American  Bible  Society,  'Bishop  Hobart  at- 
tempted to  explain  the  principles  on  which  he  acted  in  order  to 
vindicate  himself  from  the  'injurious  imputations,'  which  as  you 
suppose,  w^ere  contained  in  that  address." 

After  quoting  the  Bishop's  Convention  Address  concerning 
'those  Episcopalians  who  were  members  of  the  Bible  Society,' 
and  particularly  the  President  and  Vice  Presidents,  he  con- 
tinues :  "That  the  language  you  thus  apply  to  these  gentlemen  is 
unobjectionable  in  form  is  readily  admitted,  but  it  ought  as 
readily  to  be  admitted,  because  the  fact  is  obvious,  that  your  in- 
tention in  alluding  to  them  was  to  hold  up  their  example  to  the 
Church  as  one  to  be  avoided,  and  not  to  be  imitated.  The  Con- 
vention is  indirectly  told  that,  however  elevated  their  characters 
and  however  pure  their  motives,  their  conduct  is  erroneous  in 
principle,  and  dangerous  in  tendency;  and  in  the  case  of  the 
gentleman  first  named,  fanatical  and  presumptuous,  he  having 
publicly  expressed  his  belief  that  the  extraordinary  success 
which  has  attended  Bible  Societies  indicated  the  favour  of 
Heaven;  an  opinion  which  you  condemn  in  your  address,  and 
now,  in  your  Reply  (page  69),  remarking  that  it  is  sanctioned 
by  him,  you  declare  'contains  the  very  essence  of  fanaticism.' 

"In  the  Convention  of  1821  a  resolution  was  unanimously 
adopted  recommending  to  every  clergyman  to  read  the  Bishop's 
annual  address  to  his  congregation;  and  in  pursuance  of  this 
resolution  your  remarks  on  Bible  Societies,  in  connection  with 
your  allusion  to  the  President  and  Vice  Presidents,  have  prob- 
ably been  read  from  most  of  the  pulpits  in  the  diocess;  and 
hundreds  and  thousands  have  been  informed  for  the  first  time 
that  these  gentlemen  are  patronizing  institutions  which  are 
erroneous  in  principle,  and  injurious  to  the  Church  of  which 
they  are  members. 

"Under  these  circumstances,  most  persons  I  believe,  sir,  would 


254  Jay's  Second  Letter.  [182a 

have  acquitted  a  son,  of  want  of  delicacy,  for  endeavouring  in 
an  anonymous  pamphlet,  to  show  that  the  institution  over 
which  his  parent  presided,  did  not  merit  the  character  you  had 
given  it;  or  for  mentioning,  in  order  to  show  that  this  institu- 
tion had  not  exerted  over  him  the  tendency  that  you  ascribed 
to  it,  of  weakening  the  zeal  of  Episcopalians  for  the  distinctive 
principles  of  their  Church,  that  he  was  a  liberal  contributor  to  a 
society  established  for  the  express  purpose  of  extending  that 
Church,  both  at  home  and  abroad;  and  that  a  society  existed  in 
his  own  congregation  for  the  sole  object  of  distributing  the 
Liturg>'  of  the  Church." 

Mr.  Jay  then  defends  his  quotations  from  the  reports  of  the 
Bedford  Prayer  Book  Society  and  Pennsylvania  Prayer  Book 
Society,  which  he  liad  used  "to  prove  that  Bible  Societies  do  not 
produce  iridifference  to  the  Church."  He  also  alludes  to  the 
Bishop's  charge  of  want  of  delicacy  in  introducing  "the  name 
of  a  certain  individual,  and  thus  reviving  recollections,"  &c. 
He  explains  that  he  quoted  the  printed  address  of  a  Bible  and 
Prayer  Book  Society,  "as  evidence  of  the  opinion  as  entertained 
by  such  societies  and  their  patrons,"  and  also  as  an  authority 
upon  the  fact  "that.no  Sunday  School  was  established  in  any 
Episcopal  Church  in  New-York  whose  Rector  did  not  belong  to 
the  Bible  Society,"  but  he  disavows  making  even  the  "most  dis- 
tant personal  allusion  to  the  author." 

He  then  deals  with  the  "misrepresentations"  charged  by 
"Corrector."  He  takes  up  in  detail  his  own  statement  as  to 
attacks  by  Bishop  Hobart  upon  Bible  Societies :  in  his  pastoral 
Letter  of  1815;  in  "an  address  before  another  institution,"- and 
in  his  Convention  Address  of  1822.  He  claims  for  his  state- 
ments perfect  accuracy  and  fairness. 

He  comments  at  some  length  upon  "Corrector's"  declaration 
that  in  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  are  the  necessary  passages 
of  Holy  Scripture  "to  form  our  faith  and  regulate  our  obedience," 
and  denies  indignantly  the  charge  of  separating  the  Church 
from  the  Word  of  God  in  the  manner  the  Bishop  claimed  he  did. 

He  also  accuses  the  Bishop  of  misquotation.  He  specifically 
denies  that  he  had  "decried  or  written  against  the  use  of  com- 
mentaries or  the  distribution  of  the  Liturgy." 

He  refutes  the  "misrepresentation"  that  he  had  represented 
Bishop    Hobart    "as   at    least  insinuating  against  three  of  his 


1823]  Jay's  Second  Letter.  255 

presbyters  who  supported  the  Bible  Societies,  that  they  have 
been  less  zealous  and  faithful  than  their  brethren  who  have 
bowed  submissively  to  his  authority."  He  complains  of  "Cor- 
rector's" method  of  using  quotation  marks  and  the  group- 
ing together  by  him  of  isolated  clauses  in  his  "Letter"  to 
form  a  connected  whole  and  basing  upon  them  an  accusation 
against  "a  Churchman." 

He  gives  two  instances,  and  proceeds:  "In  page  lo,  you 
positively  assert  that  I  accuse  you  of  misrepresenting  your 
'brethren  the  Bishops'  as  'blind  leaders  of  the  blind.'  As  these 
words  form  part  of  the  same  interrogatory,  I  must  also  accuse 
you  of  declaring  yourself  the  'only  wise  and  faithful  shepherd!' 
To  .use  your  own  language,  I  must,  if  your  construction  be  cor- 
rect, be  either  'a  stupid  man  or  a  bad  man !'  " 

He  repudiates  any  misrepresentation  of  Bishop  White's  ad- 
dress, and  says  that  any  reader  of  Bishop  Hobart's  Convention 
address  who  knew  "nothing  of  the  Bishop's  connection  with  the 
Philadelphia  Bible  Society,  would  take  it  for  granted  that  he 
was  opposed  to  Bible  Societies  as  well  as  yourself.  This  con- 
clusion may  be  erroneous,  but  a  false  conclusion  is  not  neces- 
sarily a  breach  of  veracity."^ 

Dealing  with  the  charges  that  he  accused  Bishop  Hobart  of 
opposing  the  distribution  of  the  Bible  and  a  disparagement  of 
the  Sacred  Volume  and  a  desire  to  provide  a  substitute  for  it,  he 
utterly  disclaims  any  such  intention.  His  contention  was  thar 
the  Bishop  asserted  that  the  essential  portions  of  Holy  Scripture 
were  contained  in  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  which  he  con- 
sidered disparaging  to  the  Sacred  Volume,  because  it  implied 
that  comparatively  a  small  portion  of  its  contents  were  necessar\. 
He  considers  "Corrector's"  charge  against  him  of  making  Bishop 
Hobart  by  his  advocacy  of  distributing  "the  Book  of  Common 
Prayer  in  conjunction  with  the  Bible  as  the  best  commentary 
upon  it,  guilty  "of  the  Roman  Catholic  error  of  impugning  the 
Scripture  as  a  rule  of  faith." 

"You  do  not  bring  a  single  quotation  to  support  this  charge, 
and  I  do  not  know  where  you  could  have  found  one.  T  never 
denied  that  the  Liturgy  was  a  useful   accompaniment  of  the 


1.  Page  14. 

2.  Pages  14,  15. 


256  Jay*s  Second  Letter.  [1823 

Bible,  or  that  the  Scriptures  might  be  rendered  more  intelligible 
by  the  efforts  of  human  learning;  and  it  never  entered  into  my 
imagination  to  confound  this  opinion  with  'the  Roman  Catholic 
error  of  impugning  the  sufficiency  of  the  Scriptures  as  a  rule 
of  faith.'  " 

He  comments  on  the  inconsistency  of  Bishop  Hobart's  op- 
position, as  shown  in  his  Pastoral  Letter  of  1815,  with  the 
commendation  of  Bible  Societies  in  the  Pastoral  Letter  of  the 
House  of  Bishops  in  1814.^ 

He  denies  that  he  had  misrepresented  Bishop  Hobart  "by  the 
assertion  that  he  had  assailed  the  Episcopalians  who  support 
Bible  Societies  with  the  charge  of  supporting  an  institution 
'calculated  to  produce  indifference  to  the  essentials  of  Chris- 
tianity,' and  you  declare  there  is  no  mention  in  it  (the  address) 
of  the  'essentials  of  Christianity,'  I  never  pretended  that  these 
words  were  in  the  address,  nor  did  I  use  them  as  a  quotation 
but  as  the  substance  of  your  language,  *  *  *  and  if  I  have 
mistaken  your  meaning  it  is  only  because  it  was  unintelligible," 

The  contention  by  Bishop  Hobart  that  the  most  important 
pa.ssages  of  the  Holy  Scripture  were  contained  in  the  Book  of 
Common  Prayer,  he  considered  "disparaging  to  the  Sacred 
Volume,  because  it  implied  that  comparatively  a  small  portion 
of  its  contents  were  necessary," 

He  makes  much  of  the  inconsistency  of  Bishop  Hobart's 
Pastoral  Letter  of  181 5,  with  the  commendation  of  Bible  So- 
cieties in  the  Pastoral  Letter  of  the  House  of  Bishops  in  1814, 
He  denies  that  he  asserted  Bishop  Hobart  had  assailed  those 
"Episcopalians  who  supported  Bible  Societies,"  which  the 
Bishop  said  were  "calculated  to  produce  indifference  to  essentials 
of  Christianity,"  This  he  declares  to  be  a  general  conclusion 
from  the  tenour  of  the  address.  He  concludes  this  portion  of 
his  Reply  with  this  assertion:  "I  have  thus,  sir,  gone  through 
your  long  catalogue  of  my  alleged  misrepresentations,  and  as 
when  I  was  writing  the  Letter  I  was  unconscious  of  making  any, 
so  it  affords  me  no  small  gratification  to  find  that  none  have 
been  detected,  unless  I  except  my  remark  relative  to  the  copy 
of  Bishop  White's  address,  and  for  which  I  have  offered  an 

I,    Page  17. 


1823]  Jay's  Second  Letter.  257 

explanation,  which  I  hope  greatly  excuses  if  it  does  not  wholly 
vindicate  me." 

"And  now,  sir,  suffer  me  to  ask  whether  if  I  belong 
as  you  broadly  hint  (page  lo)  to  that  class  who  are  found 
not  merely  among  Protestants  but  even  among  'those  who 
style  themselves  Churchmen,  who  act  upon  the  principle 
stigmatized  as  Jesuitical,  that  'the  end  justifies  the  means.'  Is 
it  not  a  little  remarkable,  that  in  a  pamphlet  abounding  as  the 
Letter  does  in  no  ordinary  degree,  in  facts,  in  names,  in  dates, 
in  numerical  statements  and  in  quotations,  you  detected  not  one 
falsehood  or  even  one  mistake.  Your  Reply  is,  in  the  language 
of  the  law,  a  complete  demurrer.  You  tacitly  or  expressly  admit 
euery  fact  contained  in  the  Letter  from  the  first  page  to  the  last, 
and  you  deny  only  my  inferences,  my  interpretations,  and  my 
conclusions."^ 

He  resents  the  imputation  of  disingenuousness  in  his  charge 
of  speculation  against  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Com- 
mon Prayer  Book  Society,  as  also  in  his  treatment  of  the 
attitude  of  Bishop  Hobart  toward  the  religious  instruction  of 
Seamen  in  refusing  to  be  associated  with  the  corporators  of 
the  Mariners'  Church.  He  briefly*  repudiates  any  disingenuous- 
ness in  stating  Bishop  Hobart's  attitude  to  Foreign  Missions 
and  Diocesan  Seminaries. 

He  deals  more  at  length  with  "Corrector's"  charge  that  the 
accuses  Bishop  Hobart  of  promoting  schism  "because  he  advo- 
cates Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Societies  in  preference 
to  Bible  Societies." 

He  thus  comments  on  the  Bishop's  remark,  "that  they  who 
support  the  latter  are  guilty  of  schism." 

"This  may  indeed  be  said,  but  like  many  other  sayings  it 
would  be  a  libel  on  truth  and  common  sense.  You  will  please 
to  recollect  that  Bible  Societies  were  formed  in  Pennsylvania, 
Massachusetts  and  Connecticut  previous  to  the  existence  of  any 
Bible  and  Prayer  Book  Society  in  the  United  States — that 
notice  was  given  of  the  intention  to  form  a  Bible  Society  in 
New-York,  and  the  cooperation  of  Episcopalians  requested;  and 
that  after  this  notice  was  given  the  New- York  Bible  and  Com- 


I.    Page  20. 
(17) 


258  Jay's  Second  Letter.  [182a 

mon  Prayer  Book  Society  was  hastily  got  up,  and  had  tiie  start 
of  the  New  York  Bible  Society  of  eight  weeks,  the  one  being 
formed  in  September  and  the  other  in  November,  1809/  That 
in  1 8 14  the  House  of  Bishops,  including  yourself,  recommended 
Bible  Societies — that  in  181 5  you  commenced  your  public  oppos- 
ition to  them,  and  that  in  1816  the  American  Bible  Society  was 
formed.  You  seem  to  admit  that  the  sin  of  schism  rests  some- 
where ;  and  facts  and  dates  are  of  some  consequence  in  fixing  it." 

In  considering  the  charge  of  "ungentlemanly  and  unchristian 
conduct,"  he  takes  up  the  first  specification  that  he  has  ranked 
Bishop  Hobart  in  his  opposition  to  Bible  Societies  with  the 
Pope,  Mr.  Cobbett  and  the  Devil. 

With  sarcasm  and  grim  humour  he  considers  the  charge^ 
ending  his  consideration  of  it  with  this  sentence :  "I  trust,  there- 
fore. Sir,  you  will  admit  that  if  by  alluding  to  this  subject  I 
have  been  guilty  of  ungentlemanly  and  unchristian  conduct  I 
have  been  seduced  by  the  example  of  such  ungentlemanly  and 
unchristian  characters  as  the  Most  Rev.  Archbishop  of  Tuam  and 
the  Right  Rev.  Lord  Bishop  of  Cloyne." 

He  fully  takes  up  the  charge  that  he  had  called  the  Rev- 
Henry  Hadley  Norris,  of  Hackney,  England,  a  blackguard 
because  of  his  attitude  toward  Bible  Societies,  and  gives  at 
length  extracts  from  his  pamphlet  in  further  proof  of  the  fitness 
of  that  epithet. 

He  quotes  with  approval  the  Bishop's  remark  that  the  question 
is  one  of  principle  and  brings  his  pamphlet  to  a  conclusion  with 
these  paragraphs: 

"To  the  soundness  of  this  maxim  I  heartily  subscribe,  and 
only  beg  that  you  will  not  confine  its  application  to  yourself. 
It  is  possible,  Sir,  for  the  question  of  Bible  Societies  to  be  'one  of 
principle'  with  a  Layman  as  well  as  a  Bishop,  and  if  a  Bishop 
when  acting  contrary  to  the  declared  opinions  of  his  Brethren  as- 
sembled in  Convention,  and  indeed  of  almost  the  whole  Christian 
world,  with  the  exception  of  the  Romish  Church,  is  to  be  ex- 
empted from  the  accusation  of  arrogance  because  he  acts  accord- 
ing to  the  best  dictates  of  his  judgment,  a  Layman  may  surely 
claim  similar  exception  when  in  acting  with  the  spiritual  fathers 

1.  Judge  Jay  is  in  error,  as  the  minutes  show  that  the  first  recorded 
meeting  of  the  Board  of  the  Prayer  Book  Society  was  held  April  14,  1809. — 
A-  L. 

2.  Page  25. 


1823]  Bishop  Hobart's  Illness.  259 

of  his  Church,  he  has  the  misfortune  to  differ  from  a  single 
Bishop.  As  this  question  is  admitted  by  you  to  be  one  of  princi- 
ple, it  is  a  subject  on  which  by  your  own  confession,  I  owe  you  no 
obedience  as  my  Diocesan ;  for  you  inform  me  in  your  Companion 
for  the  Festivals  and  Fasts  (p.  47)  that  it  is  only  in  things 
'indifferent'  that  'Lay  Christians'  owe  obedience  to  their 
'spiritual  rulers' ;  and  you  will  not  therefore,  I  hope,  accuse 
me  of  contemplating  your  Episcopal  authority,  because  in  a 
question  of  principle  I  am  guided  by  my  own  conscience  rather 
than  by  your  advice. 

"In  my  Letter  to  you.  Sir,  I  included  among  the  unhappy  con- 
sequences resulting  to  the  opposition  to  Bible  Societies  'the 
unkind  and  unchristian  feelings  which  it  engenders  towards 
those  who  adopt  different  opinions  and  pursue  a  different  con- 
duct.' How  far  my  remark  is  verified  by  the  spirit  and 
language  of  your  Reply,  must  be  left  to  others  to  determine. 

"You  think  proper  to  question  my  attachment  to  the  Church. 

"To  such  an  insinuation  I  cannot  deign  to  reply ;  but  I  confess 
that  all  my  attachment  to  the  Church  will  cease  the  moment  I 
discover,  that  in  proportion  as  the  Scriptures  are  circulated,  her 
doctrines  are  derided,  and  her  altars  deserted. 

"You  will  have  remarked,  Sir,  that  I  have  confined  myself  in 
this  Letter  wholly  to  my  own  vindication.  It  is  not  my  inten- 
tion to  offer  myself  as  the  champion  of  the  several  gentlemen 
whom  you  have  assailed,  and  who  stand  in  no  need  of  my 
services;  neither  have  I  any  desire  to  prolong  the  present  con- 
troversy, and  to  exhibit  myself,  especially  on  so  public  an  arena, 
as  your  opponent ;  and  I,  therefore,  leave  unnoticed  your  remarks 
and  arguments  relative  to  the  American  Bible  Society. 

"The  overbearing  and  assuming  affectation  of  ascendancy 
which  is  displayed  in  your  pamphlet,  is  of  too  little  importance 
to  excite  particular  attention ;  nor  does  it  appear  to  me  necessary 
to  expatiate  on  the  ebullitions  of  fermenting  passions  with 
which  I  have  been  assailed.  That  this  effervescence  may  soon 
subside  and  be  suceeded  by  an  holy  composure  and  tranquillity 
becoming  your  profession  and  your  office,  is  the  wish  of 
"Right  Reverend  Sir,  your  humble  servant, 

William  Jay." 

The  Letter  was  published  under  this  Title:    "A  Letter  to  the 

I.    Pages  32,  33. 


260  Hobart's  Reply.  [1823 

Right  Rev.  Bishop  Hobart  in  Reply  to  the  Pamphlet  Addressed 
by  him  to  the  Author  under  the  signature  of  Corrector.  By 
William  Jay.  New  York :  Published  by  John  P.  Haven,  Theo- 
logical Bookseller,  No.  182  Broadway.  D.  Fanshaw,  Print,  i 
Murray  Street.    1823."    Svo.  pp.  33. 

The  summer  of  1823  was  one  of  great  anxiety  for  the  Bishop 
of  New  York.  The  affairs  of  the  Diocese  required  much  atten- 
tion, especially  the  negotiations  for  a  new  College  under  Church 
auspices  in  Western  New  York.  The  administration  of  a  parish 
like  Trinity  needed  much  tact  and  wisdom.  In  the  concerns  of 
the  whole  American  Church  Bishop  Hobart  took  a  prominent 
part.  To  establish  favourably  upon  a  proper  basis,  the  General 
Theological  Seminary,  which  had  in  the  previous  year  been  reor- 
ganized and  removed  from  New  Haven  to  New  York,  was  a 
task  which  appealed  strongly  to  him  and  upon  which  he  spent 
much  thought  and  energy.  It  was  while  he  was  straining  every 
nerve  to  secure  the  endowment  of  the  general  institution  that  the 
whole  American  Church  was  startled  by  the  proposition  of  Bishop 
Chase  to  found  in  Ohio  a  Theological  School  for  the  training  of 
young  men  missionaries  in  the  West.  Consternation  succeeded 
excitement  when  the  stalwart  Western  Apostle  unfolded  his  de- 
sign of  proceeding  to  England  to  solicit  money  from  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Mother  Church  to  carry  out  his  design.  His  "Letter 
of  Explanation"  to  his  brothers  in  the  Episcopate  was  received 
with  indignation  and  incredulity.  Only  two,  the  Bishop  of  North 
Carolina,  Dr.  Ravenscroft,  and  of  South  Carolina,  Dr.  Bowen, 
gave  him  the  slightest  sympathy  or  approbation. 

Bishop  Hobart  absorbed  in  the  plans  for  the  General  Theo- 
logical Seminary  viewed  Bishop  Chase's  scheme  as  not  only 
chimerical  but  as  disloyal  to  the  Church.  He,  by  pen  and  per- 
sonal interviews,  impressed  his  convictions  upon  the  Bishops 
and  others  so  that  instead  of  acquiescence  and  God  speed  when 
the  Bishop  of  Ohio  came  East  to  sail  for  England,  there  was 
opposition,  anger,  and  ill  will.  It  is  not  to  be  wondered  that,  al- 
ready in  ill  health.  Bishop  Hobart  broke  down  under  these  accu- 
mulated worries  and  anxieties.  By  the  advice  of  his  friends  he 
made  a  brief  trip  into  Canada,  hoping  to  find  there  rest  and  a 
restoration  to  health.^ 


I.     For  a  full  account  of  this  period  of  the  life  of  Bishop  Hobart,  the 
reader  is  referred  to  Volume  III.  of  Dix's  History  of  Trinity  Parish. 


1823]  Hobart's  Reply.  261 

The  Bishop's  reply  to  Judge  Jay's  second  letter  was  prepared 
while  the  arrangements  for  his  journey  were  being  made. 
Under  the  circumstances,  it  occasions  no  surprise  that  it  is  both 
severe  and  sarcastic.  He  felt  the  full  weight  of  responsibility 
for  the  well  being  of  the  Church  in  his  Diocese.  He  was  anxious 
that  no  one  should  have  any  excuse  for  not  upholding  the  in- 
stitutions which  were  the  bulwarks  of  Apostolic  Faith  and 
Order. 

He  begins  in  his  direct  and  forcible  way : 

"Sir, 

"I  was  right  in  my  estimate  of  your  character,  that  to  appear 
before  the  public  in  propria  persona,  as  the  assailant  of  'your 
Bishop,'  under  the  title  of  'A  Churchman  of  the  Diocess  of  New- 
York,'  would  afford  you  no  small  gratification. 

"Delicacy  seems  to  require,  that  addressing  your  Bishop  (ad- 
dressing him  as  you  have  done),  you  should  have  continued  your 
assumed  character.  The  temptation,  however,  was  too  strong  to 
be  resisted;  and  Corrector  enjoys  what  doubtless  you  consider 
the  high  honour  of  addressing  himself  to  'William  Jay.' 

"In  respect  to  your  first  Letter  to  Bishop  Hobart,  you  observed 
that  you  were  under  'no  obligation  to  attach  your  name  to  it.'  Un- 
doubtejjly,  Sir;  and,  acting  on  your  own  very  correct  maxims, 
you  must  excuse  me,  if  I  do  not  think  proper  to  satisfy  you  as  to 
the  person  who  addresses  you  under  the  title  which  I  have  as- 
sumed. 

"As  your  second  Letter  to  Bishop  Hobart  is  a  reply  to  the 
pamphlet  under  the  signature  of  'Corrector,'  I  hope  that  you 
will  not  accuse  me  of  ofiiciousness  or  vanity  in  answering  it. 
This  would  have  been  done  at  an  earlier  period;  for  really,  Sir, 
you  must  pardon  me  for  saying  that  there  is  something  which 
urges  me  to  have  done  as  soon  as  possible  with  such  an  antagonist 
as  yourself;  but  your  Letter,  which  was  announced  in  the  public 
prints  on  the  15th  inst.  was  not  seen  by  me  immediately  on  its 
publication ;  and  circumstances  beyond  my  control  have  prevented 
an  earlier  attention  to  it. 

"Falling  short  in  none  of  the  characteristics  of  your  former 
Letter,  while  it  leaves  untouched,  confessedly  untouched,  all  the 
main  points  in  my  Letter  to  which  you  relate  to  the  general  ques- 
tion, it  abounds  in  charges  against  'your  Bishop,'  as  opposite  to 


262  Hobarfs  Reply.  [1823 

truth  in  matter,  as  they  are  violations,  in  temper  and  in  language, 
of  delicacy  and  decorum. 

"I  mean  to  fix  this  characteristic  on  your  present  Letter  as  fully 
as  I  did  those  which  I  set  forth  as  marking  your  first. 

"You  attempt  to  defend  your  Letter  from  the  charges  of  mis- 
representation, indelicacy,  disingenuousness,  ungentlemanly  and 
unchristian  spirit  and  language;  those  of  fallacies,  rhapsodies, 
and  ostentation,  including  the  principal  points  of  the  main  ques- 
tion between  us,  you  pass  over.  And  could  I  be  assured  that  our 
readers  would  take  the  trouble  of  reviewing  the  various  parts  of 
your  first  Letter  on  which  these  charges  are  founded,  and  the 
proofs  of  them  in  mine  to  you,  I  might  be  saved  the  necessity  of 
a  single  remark.  I  am  confident,  however,  that  they  will  not  take 
the  trouble,  and  I  must  therefore  briefly  notice  the  defence  which 
you  make. 

"I  reserve  to  the  conclusion  of  my  Letter  animadversions  on  the 
charges  of  misrepresentation,  obloquy,  personal  enmity,  and 
others,  which,  in  very  mild  and  respectful  language  you  liberally 
pour  upon  'your  Bishop,'  as  the  supposed  author  of  Corrector. 

"Your  Letter  (I  observed)  commenced  with  the  misrepresenta- 
tion, that,  in  the  Address  of  Bishop  Hobart  'the  conduct  of 
Governor  Jay  and  General  Clarkson  is  represented  as  erroneous 
in  principle,  and  injurious  in  its  tendency  to  that  Church  which, 
it  is  admitted,  they  adorn;  that  the  Bishops  have  betrayed  their 
sacred  trust ;  and  that  a  host  of  laymen,  whose  talents,  piety,  and 
rank,  reflect  lustre  on  our  Church,  are  sapping  her  foundations, 
and  violating  theid  duty  as  Christians,  and  as  Churchmen.'  " 

"Corrector"  answers  the  reply  of  "A  Churchman,"  now  re- 
vealed as  William  Jay,  that  there  is  no  such  passage  in  his 
"Letter,"  by  saying  that  these  assertions  do  occur  "not  indeed  in 
the  same  sentence  but  in  three  consecutive  ones."  He  did  his 
opponent  no  injustice,  for  he  quoted  in  a  part  of  his  "Letter" 
the  whole  passage  in  which  they  were  found  detached  from  each 
other.  He  then  takes  up  the  charge  of  artfully  representing 
Bishop  Hobart  as  claiming  that  Bishop  White  concurred  with 
him  when  that  prelate  was  a  friend  of  Bible  Societies. 

He  then  proceeds : 
.    "But.  Sir,  you  attempted  to  fix  on  Bishop  Hobart  the  dishon- 
ourable   imputation    of    thus    wilfully    misrepresenting    Bishop 
White,  in  the  hope  that  he  (Bishop  Hobart)  would  escape  detec- 


1823]  Hobart's  Reply.  263 

lion.  'Happily  (you  said)  the  copy  from  which  you  (Bishop 
Hobart)  quote  is  not  the  only  one  which  has  reached  New  York.'" 
You  now  admit,  that  before  your  Letter  containing  this  imputa- 
tion went  to  press,  you  knew  it  was  false.  You  knew  that  the 
Address  of  Bishop  White  had  been  published  in  the  Christian 
Journal,  and  you  admit  that  your  offensive  'expression  conveys 
an  idea  which  the  publication  in  the  Journal  certainly  rebuts," 
and  this  imputation  on  Bishop  Hobart  of  wilful  misrepresenta- 
tion, in  the  cowardly  hope  of  escaping  detection — an  imputation, 
which  if  true,  would  blast  his  reputation,  and  which  you  knew, 
as  to  the  evidence  of  his  hope  of  escaping  detection,  to  be  false — 
you  speak  of  as  only  'an  error/  'The  propriety  of  expunging 
this  expression,'  conveying  a  slander  of  Bishop  Hobart,  'did  not 
occur  to  you.'^  You  took  the  pains  to  correct,  in  a  printed  errata, 
the  error  of  calling  Dr.  Feltus  the  Rector  of  St.  Michael's  instead 
of  St.  Stephen's,  but  it  never  occurred  to  you  to  retract  an  asper- 
sion of  Bishop  Hobart's  character;  and,  for  aught  we  know,  if 
Corrector  had  not  exposed  it  it  would  have  remained  unretracted. 
Strange  want,  Imay  surely  say,  in  this  case,  of  sensibility  to  the 
^acredness  of  character,  of  moral  perception,  of  moral  feeling, 
and  of  moral  honour.  Sir,  men  of  delicate  and  high  and  honour- 
able minds,  who  personally  know  Bishop  Hobart,  were  alarmed 
at  your  plausible  and  bold  imputation,  which  fixed  on  him  a  con- 
duct by  which  he  would  justly  forfeit  their  esteem  and  confidence. 
What  then  must  be  the  opinion  of  him  formed  by  those  who 
know  him  but  by  your  representations  and  who  credit  them? 

"You  defend  yourself  from  the  charge  of  misrepresenting  the 
cause  of  Bishop  White's  remarks  by  imputing  them  to  a  particu- 
lar occurrence,  when  he  presented  them  as  'matured  by  the  long 
experience  of  his  ministry,'  by  alleging  that  the  two  were  not 
incompatible.  True ;  but  it  happens  that  Bishop  White  did  allege 
the  latter  Circumstance;  and  you  assigned  the  former,  and  took 
no  notice  of  the  latter. 

"Your  defence  from  the  charge  of  having  asserted  that  Bishop 
Hobart  had  attacked  Bible  Societies,  meaning  by  attack  'an  un- 
provoked and  unnecessary  and  violent  attempt  to  injure  those 
institutions,'  rests  on  your  denial  of  this  meaning  of  the  term. 

1.  Letter,  p.  15. 

2.  Ibid.,  pp.  6,   15. 

3.  Ibid.,  p.  15. 


264  Hobart's  Reply.  [182a 

I  dare  say  you  think  you  have  a  right  to  give  a  definition  of 
words  diflferent  from  their  general  acceptance,  but  it  will  be  kind 
in  this  case  to  give,  to  the  public,  notice  of  the  change. 

"You  deny  having  accused  Bishop  Hobart  of  being  opposed  to 
the  distribution  of  the  Bible/  Most  extraordinary.  I  open  your 
first  Letter  to  him,  and  the  first  two  lines  are  the  following: 
'However  much  as  a  Christian  I  may  deplore  the  opposition  of 
my  Bishop  to  the  distribution  of  the  uncommented  Scriptures.'  " 

A  denial  of  the  charges  of  "disparagement  of  the  Sacred  Vol- 
ume," the  Roman  Catholic  error  of  the  inefficiency  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures  as  a  rule  of  faith,  and  that  "the  Liturgy  constitutes 
the  Church,"  is  briefly  made.  "Corrector"  shows  that  Judge  Jay 
cannot  prove  his  assertions.  He  treats  more  fully  the  conjunc- 
tion of  Bishop  Hobart,  the  Pope,  Mr.  Cobbett  and  the  Devil  as 
opponents  of  Bible  Societies. 

He  defends  Mr.  Norris  from  this  attack  of  "A  Churchman" 
at  great  length.  He  mentions  the  benevolent  and  useful  life  of 
the  Rector  of  Hackney  as  a  sufficient  refutation  of  the  epithet 
which  had  been  applied  to  him. 

He  expressed  his  strong  conviction  of  the  falsity  of  the  charges 
made  by  Mr.  Norris  against  Bible  Societies  and  the  essential 
weakness  of  the  allegations  against  Mr.  Norris. 

"Are  these  then  the  supports  of  your  plea  of  justification  in 
applying  to  a  clergyman,  in  reference  even  to  his  writings,  the 
epithet  'blackguard'  ?  But  though  you  now  retract,  yet  in  your 
letter  you  did  apply  this  epithet  unreservedly  and  unrestrictedly 
to  Mr.  Norris  personally.  Individuals  in  your  confidence  have 
also  been  in  the  habit  of  denouncing  Mr.  Norris  in  terms  not  very 
dissimilar.  You  fortify  yourself  indeed  by  the  language  of  the 
editors  of  a  dissenting  Review  (conclusive  authority  doubtless 
with  the  'Churchman  of  the  Diocese  of  New  York' ) ,  who  insinu- 
ates that  Mr.  Norris  is  not  a  gentleman :  and  by  the  authority  of 
the  Bishop  of  St.  David's,  who  does  not,  however,  as  you  assert, 
style  Mr.  Norris  'a  calumniator,'  but  speaks  of  'the  calumnies' 
in  a  work  of  Mr.  Norris  respecting  the  Church  members  of  the 
Bible  Society.  This  work  I  have  in  my  possession;  and  I  am 
really  at  a  loss  to  see  in  it  any  thing  which  justifies  the  epithet  of 
the  Bishop  of  St.  David's.     For  myself,  I  will  not  believe,  even 

I.    Letter,  p.  i6. 


1823]  Hobart's  Reply.  265 

on  the  authority  of  a  dissenting  Review,  the  Bishop  of  St. 
David's,  and  William  Jay,  that  a  clergyman,  the  friend  and  con- 
fidant of  many  of  the  dignified  clergy  of  the  Church  of  England, 
an  active  member  of  its  great  national  societies,  an  associate,  on 
the  recent  lamented  occasion  of  the  death  of  the  Bishop  of  Cal- 
cutta with  the  heads  of  the  Church  and  other  distinguished  per- 
sons, in  a  committee  on  behalf  of  the  Societies  for  Propagating 
the  Gospel  and  Promoting  Christian'  Knowledge,  for  erecting  a 
monument  to  his  memory,  publishes  'calumnies,'  'is  no  gentle- 
man,' and  'a  blackguard.'  "^ 

"Corrector"  takes  up  the  new  charge  of  opposition  to  Bible 
Societies. 

He  reiterates  much  which  he  had  already  written  in  his  first 
Letter,  and  claims  that  the  Bishop  rightfully  warned  Episcopal- 
ians of  the  danger  of  associating  with  other  Christian  bodies  in 
general  Societies. 

He  considers  the  assertion  of  "A  Churchman"  that  Bishop 
Hobart  became  virtually  the  accuser  of  the  three  presbyters  in  the 
city  of  New  York  who  were  members  of  Bible  Societies,  and 
says: 

"Addressing  Bishop  Hobart,  you  here  observe,  'you  solemnly 
declared  in  your  Charge,  that  Bible  Societies  have  a  tendency  to 
lessen  the  zeal  of  Episcopalians  in  favour  of  the  distinguishing 
principles  of  their  Church.'  You  say  to  him,  'it  is  all-important 
to  such  of  your  clergy  as  have  incurred  the  responsibility  of  join- 
ing Bible  Societies,  to  prove  that  their  zeal  has  not  been  par- 
alyzed.'    Why  all-important,  unless  Bishop  Hobart,  in  making 


I.  "One  of  the  committee  with  whom  Mr.  Norris  is  associated  is  Lord 
Kenyon,  who  lately  presided  at  the  anniversary  in  commemoration  of  Mr. 
Pitt;  and  another  is  Joshua  Watson,  Esqr.,  the  gentleman  who  purchased  a 
building  in  London,  formerly  an  episcopal  palace,  and  at  his  own  expense 
fitted  it  up  as  a  church,  and  presented  it  to  the  National  Education  Society, 
as  a  chapel  for  the  use  of  the  scholars  of  the  Central  School.  As  another 
proof  also  of  the  estimation  in  which  Mr.  Norris  is  held,  I  mention,  on  good 
authority,  that  a  lady,  desirous  of  contributing  loo  1.  sterling  to  the  American 
Episcopal  Church,  has  requested  Mr.  Norris  to  dispose  of  this  sum  towards 
this  object;  and  he  has  authorized  Bishop  Hobart  to  draw  upon  him  for  it, 
to  be  appropriated  as  he,  Bishop  Hobart,  may  think  proper.  It  will  be  recol- 
lected Mr.  Norris  has  authorized  Bishop  Hobart  to  draw  on  him,  as  his  own 
contribution,  for  lOO  1.  sterling  for  the  Theological  Seminary." 


266  Hobarfs  Reply.  [1823 

this  declaration,  had  impeached  their  zeal  ?  Still  more  explicitly, 
this  impeachment  of  their  zeal  by  Bishop  Hobart,  is  the  'blow 
aimed  at  them,'  which  you  state  'the  defence  of  their  own  char- 
acters rendered  necessary'  that  they  should  'ward  off.'  You 
then  introduce  as  persons  thus  assailed  the  three  Episcopal  Rec- 
tors in  this  city  who  have  joined  Bible  Societies.  And  with  this 
passage  staring  you  in  the  face,  will  it  be  believed  that  you  have 
had  the  hardihood  to  assert,  that  you  never  even  insinuated 
that  Bishop  Hobart  had  impeached  the  zeal  and  fidelity  of 
three  of  his  Presbyters.  Yes  —  this  is  your  remark:  'Well 
indeed,  Sir,  may  you  (Bishop  Hobart)  ask  what  is  my 
proof  of  your  having  made  those  charges  and  insinua- 
tions?' Charges  and  insinuations  which  I  never  imputed 
to  you.  You  go  on,  insulting  your  Bishop  —  'and  which 
(charges  and  insinuations)  when  I  wrote  my  Letter  1  had  no 
idea  your  own  sense  of  propriety  would  suffer  you  to  make.  •  I 
did  not  then  believe.  Sir,  that  you  would  descend  from  your 
elevated  station  to  become  the  accuser  of  your  presbyters,  or, 
that  you  whose  duty  it  is  to  pronounce  sentence,  would  conde- 
scend to  frame  the  indictment.'^ 

"Wonderfully  severe  and  appropriate  and  correct  you  no  doubt 
thought  was  this  passage  when  you  penned  it ;  and  yet  it  happens 
(though  this,  when  you  wish  to  assail  'your  Bishop,'  is  a  matter 
of  little  moment)  that  the  pert  and  insulting  charge  in  this  pas- 
sage is  utterly  false.  Admitting  Bishop  Hobart  to  be  the  author 
of  the  Letter  to  you  signed  Corrector,  where  has  he  become  the 
accuser  of  three  of  his  presbyters?  Will  you  pretend  that  he 
states  any  thing  exceptionable  concerning  the  Rectors  of  Christ 
Church  and  St.  Stephen's?  And  as  to  the  Rector  of  St. 
George's,  does  an  individual  become  the  accuser  of  another  when 
he  merely  states  acknowledged,  notorious  facts  concerning  him? 
Is  it  not  a  fact  that  the  Rector  of  St.  George's  wrote  the  letter 
to  the  chairman  of  a  committee  of  the  Auxiliary  New  York 
Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society?  Is  it  not  a  fact  that 
he  has  no  connection  with  the  Sunday  School  Society  of  his  own 
Church,  and  is  the  president  of  one  consisting  of  all  denomina- 
tions ?  Is  it  not  a  fact  that  in  his  lecture  room,  or  society  room 
(I  know  not  the  name  which  it  bears),  he  mutilates'the  Liturgy, 

I.     Letter,  p.  12. 


1823]  Hobart's  Reply.  267 

and  uses  extempore  prayers?  Is  it  not  a  fact  that  prayer  meet- 
ings of  a  certain  description  are  held  in  his  congregation,  with 
his  approbation  and  countenance?  You  cannot  be  ignorant  that 
the  Rector  of  St.  George's  deems  these  facts  to  be  highly  hon- 
ourable to  him.  Has  his  Bishop  then  become  his  accuser  in 
publicly  stating  them,  admitting  he  has  done  so?  Accusation 
and  a  consequent  'indictment'  imply  (I  speak  with  great  defer- 
ence to  you.  Sir)  the  charge,  with  a  view  to  punishment,  of  an 
offence  not  acknowledged  or  not  proved.  But  the  facts  to 
which  you  allude  are  acknowledged — they  are  the  subjects  of 
boasting  with  the  Rector  of  St.  George's. 

"And  were  they  stated  in  the  spirit  of  wanton  crimination? 
Recollect,  Sir,  you  made  insinuations  relative  to  the  conduct  of 
the  'young  gentlemen'  who  are  managers  of  the  Auxiliary  New 
York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  which  rendered 
the  publication  of  the  letter  of  the  Rector  of  St.  George's  a 
measure  of  explanation  and  of  self-defence.  Recollect,  you  ad- 
duced the  subject  of  Sunday  Schools  as  an  evidence  of  the  zeal 
of  the  Rector  of  St.  George's  for  the  'distinguishing  principles' 
of  the  Church.  Recollect,  you  not  only  stated  circumstances  in 
his  congregation  which  you  considered  demonstrative  of  this 
zeal,  but  entered  into  an  indelicate  and  indecorous  comparison 
of  his  pretensions  with  those  of  the  Rector  and  Assistant  Min- 
isters of  Trinity  Church,  in  order  to  prove  the  superior  zeal  of 
the  former,  and  by  inference  to  convict  the  Rector,  your  Bishop, 
"of  being  a  faithless  shepherd.'  And  because  facts  were  stated 
questioning  your  claim  for  the  Rector  of  St.  George's,  not 
merely  to  zeal,  but  to  superior  zeal  for  the  distinguishing  prin- 
ciples of  the  Church,  have  you  the  hardihood  (pardon  me  for 
using  this  word  again;  but  really,  when  I  think  of  you,  certain 
terms  force  themselves  upon  my  mind),  in  a  style  which,  used 
by  a  superior  to  an  inferior,  would  be  considered  as  pert  and 
insulting — have  you  the  hardihood  to  say  to  your  Bishop — *I 
had  no  idea  your  own  sense  of  propriety  would  ever  permit  you 
to  make'  these  charges  and  insinuations  —  'I  did  not  believe, 
Sir,  that  you  would  descend  from  your  elevated  station  to  be- 
come the  accuser  of  your  presbyters  or  that  you,  whose  duty  it 
is  to  pronounce  sentence,  would  condescend  to  frame  the  indict- 
ment.' '" 

I.     Pages  18-20. 


268  Jay's  Answer.  [182a 

In  a  vein  of  sarcasm  he  comments  on  the  power  and  duties  of 
the  Bishop  of  New  York.  Far  from  being  able  "to  reprove, 
rebuke,  exhort,"  he  must  not  even  mention  facts  concerning  any 
member  of  his  spiritual  flock,  whether  clerical  or  lay. 

He  disclaims  any  idea  that  lie  should  be  exempted  from 
criticism  of  his  public  acts  or  utterances.  He  also  denies  that 
he  had  suggested  the  criticism  of  Bishop  Griswold's  address  in 
"The  Christian  Journal." 

"The  publishers,"  he  says,  "are  the  Editors  of  the  Journal, 
nor  is  Bishop  Hobart  responsible  for  its  contents." 

He  considers  the  personalities  complained  of  by  "A  Church- 
man," and  says  that  those  indulged  in  by  most  gentlemen  are 
much  greater.  He  only  spoke  of  him  in  his  public  character  as 
an  official  opponent  for  many  years  of  his  Bishop. 

After  some  pleasantary  as  to  the  sudden  attack  of  modesty 
on  the  part  of  "A  Churchman,"  and  again  assuring  him  that  the 
Bishop  had  no  personal  feeling  against  him,  he  thus  concludes : 

"On  the  supposition  that  Bishop  Hobart  is  the  writer  of  the 
Letter  I  addressed  to  you,  you  are  pleased,  doubtless  in  a  very 
forebearing  manner,  gently  to  remark,  'The  overbearing  and 
assuming  affectation  of  ascendancy,  which  is  displayed  in  your 
pamphlet,  is  of  too  little  importance  to  excite  particular  atten- 
tion; nor  does  it  appear  to  me  necessary  to  expatiate  on  the 
ebullitions  of  fermenting  passions  with  which  I  have  been  as- 
sailed. That  this  effervescence  may  soon  subside,  and  be  suc- 
ceeded by  an  holy  composure  and  tranquillity  becoming  your 
profession  and  your  office,  is  the  wish  of,'  &c. 

"Without  choosing  to  satisfy  you  whether  you  are  correct  in 
your  supposition,  as  on  your  own  principle,  there  is  no  obligation 
on  me  to  do  so,  I  yet  deem  myself  warranted  in  saying,  that  if 
Bishop  Hobart  feels  that  kind  of  arrogant  and  unauthorized 
and  revengeful  ascendency  which  you  are  free  to  impute  to  him, 
he  must  indeed  be  as  entirely  destitute  of  the  Christian  temper 
as  you  consider  him.  No,  Sir;  he  probably  does  feel  an  ascend- 
ency— but  it  is  that  ascendency  which  the  Gospel,  moderating 
and  regulating,  but  not  destroying  those  strong  feelings  of 
nature  that  are  safeguards  of  reputation,  and  the  aids  of  virtue, 
admits  and  sanctions — the  ascendency  which  an  individual  long, 
perseveringly,  unjustly,  wantonly,  bitterly,  and  he  may  say 
cruelly,  as.sailed  (for  your  representations  of  him  often  made. 


1823]  Jay's  Answer.  269 

and  most  extensively  and  industriously  circulated,  if  believed, 
would  render  him  not  merely  unworthy  of  confidence,  but 
deserving  of  contempt  and  opprobrium),  feels  over  his  prostrate 
and  mortified,  but  he  fears,  unhumbled  and  inveterate  assailant. 

"I  really  wish  you  well ;  and  cannot,  therefore,  refrain  from 
concluding  as  before,  with  my  advice  —  Yield  to  the  wise  and 
modest  impulse  which  as  your  friend,  I  wish  had  come  sooner, 
and  which  renders  you  averse  to  appear  before  the  public — 
Withdraw  from  the  'arena.' 

"Corrector. 

"New  York,  July  30th,  1823."^ 

The  full  title  of  this  pamphlet  is:  "A  Reply  to  a  Letter  ad- 
dressed to  the  Right  Rev.  Bishop  Hobart  by  Wiliam  Jay,  in  a 
letter  to  that  gentleman.  By  Corrector.  New  York:  Printed 
by  T.  &  J.  Swords,  No.  99  Pearl  Street.     1823." 

That  this  "Letter"  should  be  answered  was  inevitable.  The 
heat  of  midsummer  was  not  propitious  for  careful  writing,  and 
also,  let  us  hope  that  Judge  Jay,  knowing  the  very  precarious 
state  of  health  of  Bishop  Hobart  refrained  from  troubling  him 
with  controversial  matters.  But  when  the  cooler  days  of  Sep- 
tember had  come,  when  he  knew  that  the  Bishop  had  partially 
recovered  and  was  making  preparations  for  a  voyage  to  Europe, 
he  then  wrote  his  third  Letter. 

It  is  of  the  same  character  as  his  other  productions.  He 
reiterates  his  former  allegations  and  censures  and  is  even  more 
indignant  in  his  arraignment  of  Mr.  Norris  and  his  allusions  to 
the  Bishop  are  even  less  decorous. 

In  his  opening  paragraphs  he  accuses  Bishop  Hobart  in  this 
impassioned  manner : 

^'Right  Reverend  Sir : 

"After  having  observed  your  various  and  unceasing  attacks 
upon  Bible  Societies,  and  that  your  hostility  to  them  had  become 
so  virulent  as  to  prompt  you  to  republish  a  malignant  and  scur- 
rilous libel  against  them,  it  appeared  to  me  proper  to  submit  to 
the  consideration  of  the  public  a  vindication  of  these  institutions 
from  your  attacks. 

"It  was  to  have  been  expected  that  you  would  either  in  your 

I.    Pages  21-26. 


270  Jay's  Answer.  [182a 

name  have  justified  these  attacks,  or  else  have  suffered  some 
friend  to  have  performed  the  task  for  you.    You  did  neither. 

"You  pubHshed  an  anonymous  pamphlet  in  which  there  were 
but  few  traces  of  that  meekness,  candour,  and  charity  which 
ought  to  distinguish  a  Right  Reverend  'Corrector.'  In  this 
pamphlet  you  thought  it  admissible  to  substitute  crimination  for 
justification,  and  railing  for  argument.  Having  reason  to  be- 
lieve that  I  was  the  writer  of  the  Churchman's  Letter,  you 
attempted  to  defend  yourself  by  attacking  me,  and  for  this  pur- 
pose descended  to  the  use  of  invectives  and  expressions  which 
good  manners  and  Christian  charity  equally  forbid." 

Mr.  Jay  then  quotes  from  the  Reply,  the  comments  made  by 
the  Bishop  on  the  subscription  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars 
sent  from  Rye  for  the  Domestic  and  Foreign  Missionary 
Society. 

He  thus  proceeds :  "You  tell  me  in  your  last  letter  that  all  this 
'discipline'  is  intended  for  my  good.  It  may  not.  Sir,  be  useless 
to  ask  your  own  conscience  by  what  spirit  this  discipline  w-as 
dictated. 

"Again,  Sir,  knowing  that  the  Bedford  congregation  were 
erecting  a  parsonage,  and  that  their  Rector  had  solicited  sub- 
scriptions to  it  in  New-York,  you  proceed  to  censure  them  for 
pennitting  him  to  do  so.^ 

"And  what  argument  in  justification  of  your  attacks  upon 
Bible  Societies  do  you  draw  from  the  conduct  of  this  congrega- 
tion? 

"Three  individuals  of  the  Bedford  congregation  had,  it  seems, 
contributed  $150  to  the  Episcopal  Domestic  and  Foreign  Mis- 
sionary Society. 

"In  your  last  pamphlet  you  venture  to  assert,  that  'individuals 
or  congregations  who  can  thus  liberally  contribute  to  foreign 
purposes  ought  to  furnish  their  clergyman  with  a  parsonage 
house  without  calling  for  aid  upon  the  citizens  of  New  York.' 
What,  Sir,  has  this  assertion  to  do  with  your  attacks  upon  Bible 
Societies  ?  And  whence  do  you  derive  a  right  to  determine  what 
subscriptions  to  a  Missionary  Society  renders  it  incumbent  on  the 
subscribers  to  build  a  parsonage  house?     You  assert  in  un- 

I.    "As  the  author  was  not  one  of  these  contributors  this  public  allusion  to 
them  is  peculiarly  wanton  and  unprovoked." 


1823]  Jay's  Answer.  271 

qualified  language  that  I  and  those  whom  I  influence,  or  by  whom 
I  am  influenced,  'either  neglect  or  do  not  fully  provide  for  (our) 
own  household,'  and  to  render  the  insult  more  pointed,  you  add, 
'the  fact,  Sir,  is  so.'  And  what  apology  does  our  neglect  of  our 
household  afford  for  your  hostility  to  Bible  Societies?  You  ap- 
pear to  have  guessed  that  the  'three  individuals'  to  whom  you 
alluded  had  not  been  liberal  in  their  subscriptions  to  the  house  in 
question,  and  their  connection  with  me  probably  urged  you  to 
hazard  conjecture  for  truth.  As  it  may  be  supposed  that  insinua- 
tions thus  made  and  reiterated  by  a  Bishop  cannot  be  groundless, 
I  am  contstrained  to  observe  that  before  the  appearance  of  your 
first  pamphlet  these  individuals  had  engaged  to  pay  upwards  of 
$600  towards  the  building  of  this  very  house. 

"Your  first  pamphlet  not  having  invalidated  either  the  facts  or 
the  arguments  contained  in  the  Churchman's  Letter,  I  did  not 
deem  it  necessary  to  defend  them  in  Reply.  Your  vague  and 
insulting  epithets  I  treated  with  the  contempt  they  merited,  but 
it  was  a  duty  I  owed  to  myself  to  expose  the  falsity  of  your 
quotations,  and  to  refute  such  of  your  charges  as  impeached  my 
candour  and  veracity.  Conscious  of  my  own  rectitude  1  openly 
avowed  myself  the  author  of  the  Churchman's  Letter  and  as 
openly  defended  it. 

"As  you  had  brought  me,  as  you  declared,  before  the  public  in 
propria  persona  it  became  necessary  to  address  my  reply  per- 
sonally to  yourself.  It  is  singular  that  you  have  thought  proper 
not  only  again  to  assail  me  under  the  signature  of  'Corrector/ 
but  even  to  intimate  that  it  was  without  sufficient  authority  that 
I  had  ascribed  that  signature  to  you. 

"You  tell  me  'You  must  excuse  me  if  I  do  not  think  proper  to 
satisfy  you,  as  to  the  person  who  addresses  you  under  the  title 
I  have  assumed.'  Your  refusal  to  satisfy  me  implies  that  I  had 
curiosity  to  be  satisfied.  You  allude  to  the  manner  in  w^hich  I 
speak  of  my  Bishop  'as  the  supposed  author  of  "Corrector,"  ' 
thus  signifying  that  I  only  supposed  you  to  be  the  author. 

"The  annexed  documents  will  convince  you,  Sir,  that  when  I 
addressed  you  as  the  author  of  'Corrector'  I  had  no  curiosity 
on  the  subject  to  be  satisfied,  and  that  it  was  not  on  supix)sitiou 
that  I  ventured  to  assert  a  fact  so  interesting  to  your  reputation." 

Mr.  Jay  gives  in  a  note  a  certificate  from  his  publisher,  Mr. 
John  P.  Haven,  declaring  that  Mr.  Floyd  Smith  had  told  Mr.  F. 


272  Jay's  Answer.  [1823 

W.  Porter  and  himself  "that  he  knew  that  Bishop  Hobart  was 
the  author,  and  now  felt  himself  at  liberty  to  say  so,  having 
understood  from  Mr.  Stanford  that  the  Bishop  had  no  objection 
to  its  being  known  that  he  was  the  author."  A  second  statement 
from  Mr.  John  Nitchie,  Agent  of  the  Bible  Society,  details  the 
purchase  by  him  of  the  pamphlet  of  "Corrector,"  and  mentions 
the  inquiry  he  made  of  Mr.  Stanford  as  to  its  authorship,  and 
the  declaration  by  that  gentleman,  "O  yes,  it  is  the  Bishop,"  and 
adding,  "the  Bishop  is  not  a  man  who  does  a  thing  in  secret,  and 
is  unwilling  to  avow  it  openly." 

In  continuing  his  Reply  the  writer  says :  "You,  Sir,  who  have 
now  personally  assailed  me  in  two  pamphlets,  distinguished  alike 
by  the  coarseness  of  their  invectives  and  the  wantonness  of  their 
insults,  complain  of  the  style  in  which  I  address  'my  Bishop.' 
You  seem  to  forget,  Sir,  that  when  you  laid  aside  your  mitre, 
and  your  lawn  and  assaulted  me  in  the  character  of  an  anony- 
mous pamphleteer  and  stooped  to  personal  abuse,  you  virtually 
ivaivcd  your  rank;  and  that  the  degree  of  deference  with  which 
I  am  now  bound  to  treat  you  must  be  measured  only  by  the 
respect  I  owe  myself.  In  what  style  I  ought  to  address  *my 
Bishop'  who  calls  his  opponent  *a  spouter  in  ecclesiastical  con- 
ventions,' arraigns  him  before  the  public  for  his  vanity,  loads 
him  with  insulting  epithets;  and  regardless  of  the  respect  due 
to  age  or  sex,  in  no  unintelligible  language  accuses  his  dearest 
and  nearest  connections  of  parsimony;  and  positively  asserts 
that  they  'neglect  or  do  not  provide  for  their  own  household.' 

"In  your  first  pamphlet  you  pretended  that  this  violation  of  all 
the  courtesies  of  controversy  was  rendered  necessary  'by  the 
wanton  attack  made  on  Bishop  Hobart's  official  principles  and 
conduct.'  That  in  the  defence  of  the  Bible  Society  I  attacked  your 
'official  principle  and  conduct'  is  true.  I  had  a  right  to  do  so. 
In  this  country  no  man  can  claim  for  his  official  principles  and 
conduct  an  exemption  from  criticism.  Three  times  had  you  in 
your  official  capacity  appeared  before  the  public  as  an  opposer 
of  Bible  Societies.  You  had  addressed  a  Pastoral  Letter  to  the 
Laity  of  the  diocess,  condemning  Bible  Societies;  you  had  in- 
serted in  the  newspapers  an  address  to  Episcopalians,  urging 
them  not  to  join  the  American  Bible  Society.  You  had  delivered 
and  published  an  address  to  a  Bible  and  Prayer  Book  Society 
in  which  you  again  condemned  Bible  Societies.     Your  opinions 


1823]  Jay's  Answer.  273 

were  known.  Your  advice  had  been  given  and  was  not  for- 
gotten. No  duty  demanded  a  fresh  attack;  but  hostilities  must 
not  cease ;  and  for  a  fourth  time  you  appear  the  official  assailant 
of  Bible  Societies,  in  your  recent  address  to  the  convention. 

"In  your  anxiety  to  crush  these  institutions  you  seem  to  have 
lost  sight  of  the  respect  due  to  your  Right  Reverend  Brethren, 
you  knew  that  the  House  of  Bishops  had  officially  recommended 
these  Societies,  you  knew  that  numbers  of  our  Bishops  were 
their  active  supporters ;  and  that  not  one  of  them  beside  yourself 
had  ever  published  a  word  against  them.  But,  indifferent  to  the 
advice  of  your  brethren,  and  spurning  their  example,  you  have 
now  for  years  waged  an  unrelenting  war  against  institutions 
which  have  committed  no  other  offence  than  giving  to  the  poor 
and  destitute  that  Gospel  of  which  you  are  a  preacher,  and 
which  our  maker  intended  as  a  revelation  of  his  will  to  your 
fellow  men. 

"Nearly  simultaneous  with  your  last  attack  you  caused  to  be 
republished  one  of  the  most  abusive  and  outrageous  libels  on  Bible 
Societies  that  ever  issued  from  the  English,  or  disgraced  the 
American  press.  Soon  after  the  republication  of  the  letter  to 
Lord  Liverpool,  the  Secretary  of  the  American  Bible  Society, 
in  a  public  address,  made  a  brief  allusion  to  the  opponents  of 
Bible  Societies;  'whether  infidels  or  blinded  Christians.'  Ex- 
tracts from  this  address  including  the  expression  quoted,  were 
inserted  in  one  of  the  newspapers  by  its  editor.^ 

"You,  Sir,  who  have  just  been  occupied  in  ushering  into  public 
notice  a  pamphlet  in  which  the  members  of  Bible  Societies  were 
compared  to  the  German  illuminati  and  the  Societies  accused  of 
causing  'female  demoralization.'  You,  Sir,  found  your  sensi- 
bilities excessively  shocked  by  the  expressions  of  the  Reverend 
Secretary.  Your  late  address  had  been  listened  to  by  the 
assembled  clergy  and  delegates  from  the  diocess:  by  a  standing 
recommendation  of  the  convention  it  was  to  be  read  from  every 
Episcopal  pulpit  in  the  State  of  New-York,  and  it  w^as  to  be 
inserted  in  the  printed  journals  of  the  Convention,  and  sent  to 
every  congregation.  Not  satisfied  with  the  publicity  thus  to  be 
given  to    your    testimony    against    Bible    Societies,    you    now 

I.    The  New- York  Daily  Advertiser,  edited  by  T.  D wight,  Esq. 
(i8) 


/ 


274  Jay's  Answer.  [182a 

resolved  to  make  a  newspaper  the  medium  of  proclaiming  it  to 
the  whole  community. 

"You  addressed  a  letter  to  the  editor  who  had  published  the 
extracts  already  mentioned  requesting  him  to  insert  in  his  paper 
a  large  portion  of  your  late  address,  together  with  the  expression 
which  had  oflfended  you.  It  was  intended  that  the  language  of 
the  presbyter  should  place  in  bold  and  graceful  relief  the 
humility  and  moderation  of  the  diocesan.  The  editor  consented 
to  comply  with  your  request,  but  informed  you  that  he  should 
disclose  your  name,  and  make  his  own  remarks. 

"These  unpleasant  and  unexpected  conditions  were  rejected  on 
your  part,  and  a  long  written  negotiation  ensued.  The  editor 
asserts,  that  for  the  purpose  of  removing  all  his  objections,  you 
oflFered  to  pay  for  your  communication  as  an  advertisement.  The 
negotiation,  although  protracted,  proved  fruitless,  and  you  had 
recourse  to  another  paper.  ^ 

"In  the  Evening  Post,  of  ist  February,  your  communication 
appeared  under  the  signature  of  *a  subscriber.'  It  contained  an 
extract  from  Dr.  Milnor's  address,  with  the  words  'infidels  or 
blinded  Christians'  in  italics,  and  then  a  large  portion  of  your 
address  relating  to  Bible  Societies,  in  order,  as  you  observed, 
that  Bishop  Hobart's  'views  on  the  subject  may  be  seen  at  once, 
and  the  light  in  which  he  regards  those  Christians  who  consci- 
entiously differ  from  him  in  opinion.'  No  allusion  was  made  to 
the  German  'illuminati'  or  to  'female  demoralization.'  To  the 
extract  from  your  address  was  appended  a  list  of  Bishops  who 
do  and  who  do  not  belong  to  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society,  and  you  concluded  as  follows :  'It  will  be  seen  from  the 
highly  exalted  names  mentioned  in  the  above  note  with  what 
propriety  the  Rev.  Dr.  Milnor  could  apply  the  phrase  'infidels 
or  blinded  Christians'  to  all  who  do  not  countenance  the  Bible 
Societies  as  conducted  by  him  and  those  who  act  with  him.  It 
certainly  appears  that  a  majority  of  the  American  Bishops  and 
forty-five  out  of  fifty-five  in  England,  Ireland  and  Scotland  are  of 
this  number.'  " 

The  writer  says,  how  can  four  be  a  majority  of  nine  ?  for  when 
the  letter  was  published  there  were  nine  Bishops  in  the  American 
Church,  of  which  he  claims  Bishops  White,  Griswold,  Moore, 

I.  Judge  Jay  in  a  note  says  that  he  has  taken  his  facts  from  a  letter  of 
Mr.  Dwight  in  the  Evening  Post  of  February,  1823. 


1823]  Jay's  Answer.  275 

Kemp,  and  Chase  as  members  of  Bible  Societies.  Of  the  remain- 
ing four  Bishops,  Hobart,  Bowen,  Brownell  and  Croes,  the 
Bishop  of  New  York,  says  the  Judge,  "is  the  only  one  who  has 
to  my  knowledge  ever  published  a  syllable  against  these  socie- 
ties." 

The  author  then  proceeds:  "And  now,  Sir,  let  me  ask  you, 
did  your  'official  principles  and  conduct'  afford  no  provocation 
to  the  Episcopal  members  of  Bible  Societies;  or  had  your  con- 
duct been  so  mild  and  forbearing  as  to  render  any  animadver- 
sion upon  it  'wanton'  and  unprovoked  ?  Did  duty  require  you  to 
hazard  the  peace  and  unity  of  the  Church  by  such  reiterated  and 
violent  attacks  upon  institutions,  embracing  so  many  of  your 
Right  Reverend  Brethren,  and  sanctioned  as  they  have  been  by 
the  official  and  unanimous  vote  of  the  House  of  Bishops? 

"Did  conscience  bid  you  to  republish  foreign  libels  against 
them?  Did  your  consecration  vows  command  you  to  chaffer 
with  printers  of  newspapers,  to  publish  your  address  against 
them ;  and  was  it  an  Episcopal  duty  to  rebuke,  as  you  have  done 
in  the  columns  of  a  public  journal,  the  language  of  one  of  your 
presbyters  while  you  shrank  from  the  responsibility  of  the  act? 
and  does  your  sacred  office  authorize  you  to  do  all  this,  and  yet 
does  it  exempt  your  'official  principles  and  conduct'  from  free 
and  merited  animadversion? 

"If  such,  Sir,  be  your  opinion  of  the  prerogatives  attached  to 
the  mitre,  you  forget  the  age  and  country  in  which  you  live. 

"My  first  letter  to  you,  Sir,  under  the  signature  of  'A  Church- 
man' was  personally  respectful.  I  questioned  the  soundness  of 
your  arguments  but  not  the  sincerity  with  which  they  were 
urged.  I  condemned  the  policy  of  your  conduct,  but  not  the 
motives  from  which  it  proceeded.  You  reply  in  a  manner  as 
equally  remote  from  the  good  breeding  of  a  gentleman,  as  it 
was  from  the  meekness  and  humility  becoming  a  Christian 
Bishop.  I  repelled  your  assaults  upon  my  reputation,  but  left 
your  argument  unanswered.  Here  the  controversy  might  have 
dropped ;  but  you  have  seen  fit  to  continue  it,  and  have  again 
assailed  me  with  as  much  bitterness  and  violence  as  ever;  your 
last  pamphlet  has  made  it  incumbent  on  me  a  second  time  to 
expose  your  misstatements  and  to  justify  my  own  assertions 
and  language. 

"I  have  indeed  'the  hardihood'  to  deny,  that  I  accused  you  of 


276  Jay's  Answer.  [1823 

having  made  in  your  address,  any  insinuations  in  particular 
against  the  'three  rectors'  in  New  York,  who  belong  to  the  Bible 
Society.  The  reasons  I  assigned  for  alluding  to  these  gentlemen, 
and  which  you  prudently  omit  to  quote,  prove  that  I  was  not 
defending  them  against  personal  accusations. 

"To  disprove  your  theory  of  the  paralyzing  influence  of  Bible 
Societies  upon  the  zeal  of  Episcopalians,  I  said:  'Suffer  me  to 
offer  the  three  Episcopalian  Rectors  in  this  city,  who  are  con- 
nected with  the  American  Bible  Society,  as  representatives  of 
their  associates  throughout  the  Diocese.  The  influence  of  this 
institution  is  weakening,  the  zeal  of  Episcopalians  has  in  this 
city  had  a  fair  and  thorough  experiment.  It  is  here  that  it  is 
carrying  on  its  operations  in  all  their  imposing  grandeur  and 
magnificence;  here  are  held  the  monthly  meetings  of  its  man- 
agers, including  its  clerical  members;  and  here  are  celebrated  its 
anniversaries  at  which  the  three  clergymen  referred  to  have 
mingled  their  notes  of  gratulation  and  encouragement  with  those 
of  their  fellow  Christians.  If  the  zeal  of  these  gentlemen  has 
passed  unhurt  through  the  fiery  trial,  —  nay,  if  it  still  be  as 
active  and  ardent  as  that  of  any  of  their  brethren,  then  surely, 
Sir,  your  fears  are  groundless,  and  you  will  be  almost  tempted 
to  welcome  the  Society  as  an  Auxiliary  to  the  Church.' 

"You  affect.  Sir,  to  treat  with  levity  the  exposure  I  made  of 
your  false  quotations  from  my  letter ;  and  assert  that  'it  is  mere 
subterfuge  to  complain,'  and  privately  declare  that  I  have  not 
attempted  to  prove  that  you  have  misrepresented  me  by  your 
mode  of  quoting  my  language.  Have  you  forgotten.  Sir,  that 
I  not  only  attempted,  but  I  did  prove  that  your  readers  would 
from  your  distorted  quotations,  'naturally  regard  me  as  guilty 
of  an  impudent  and  profligate  falsehood.'  " 

Judge  Jay  then  considers  the  assertion  of  Bishop  Hobart  that 
"A  Churchman"  insinuated  that  the  Bishop  wished  to  withhold 
the  address  from  the  public  and  charges  him  with  misrepresenta- 
tion, when  in  fact  it  had  been  published  in  the  Christian 
Journal, 

The  writer  expresses  regret  that  he  did  not  know  this  when 
the  Letter  was  written. 

He  considers  the  Bishop's  treatment  of  his  remark  ujjon  the 
meaning    of    Bishop   White's    address,  and  complains  that  the 


1823]  Jay's  Answer.  277 

Bishop  by  interpolation  makes  the  passage  mean  the  exact  con- 
trary of  his  understanding  of  it. 

After  considering  the  perversion  of  his  meaning  by  the  Bishop 
of  a  sentence  in  which  he  speaks  of  the  Bishop  as  opposed  to 
"the  distribution  of  the  uncommented  scriptures,"  and  the  infer- 
ence of  Bishop  Hobart  that  "A  Churchman"  accused  him  of 
maintaining  the  Roman  Catholic  error  of  impugning  the  suffi- 
ciency of  the  Scriptures  as  a  rule  of  faith,  Judge  Jay  asserts  that 
Bishop  Hobart  has  not  found  in  the  Churchman's  Letter  "one 
falsehood  or  even  one  mistake,"  and  that  Bishop  Hobart  had 
tacitly  or  expressly  admitted  "every  fact  contained  in  this 
Letter;"  he  thus  continues: 

"I  do  not,  Sir,  because  I  have  spoken  the  truth,  profess  to  be 
a  pure  and  perfect  man.  Such  a  profession  belongs  not  to  me, 
but  to  him  who  after  being  involved  in  a  bitter  and  personal 
quarrel  with  several  of  his  reverend  brethren,  a  quarrel  in  which 
to  use  his  own  language,  'congregations  which  were  ever  peace- 
able were  thrown  into  confusion,  and  a  church  which  once 
boasted  of  being  at  unity  in  herself  (was)  rent  by  discord,  and 
her  honours  laid  in  the  dust,'  could  exclaim  in  the  conclusion  of 
his  printed  defence,  'in  nought  have  I  offended.'^ 

"You  think  I  have  strange  ideas  of  the  powers  of  'my  Bishop,' 
and  remind  me  that  an  Apostolic  Bishop  was  commanded  'to 
reprove,  rebuke,  exhort  with  all  authority.'^ 

"You  seem.  Sir,  altogether  to  have  forgotten  that  an  Apostolic 
Bishop  was  commanded  to  'reprove,  rebuke,  exhort  with  all 
long  suffering.' 

"I  must  be  permitted.  Sir,  to  question  whether  St.  Paul  intended 


1.  The  reference  is  to  the  Controversy  excited  by  the  pamphlet  of  the 
Rev.  Cave  Jones,  a  colleague  of  Dr.  Hobart  in  Trinity  Church,  "A  Solemn 
Appeal  to  the  Church"  (New  York,  1811),  in  which  he  accused  Dr.  Hobart 
of  intolenance  and  ambition.  Judge  Jay's  allusion  is  to  "A  Statement  ad- 
dressed to  Episcopalians  of  the  State  of  New  York  relative  to  some  recent 
events  in  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  the  said  State."  (New  York, 
1812.)— A.  L. 

2.  There  is  no  such  text.  The  Bishop  has  confounded  2  Tim.  iv.  2  with 
Titus  ii.  15.  The  passages  are:  "Preach  the  Word;  be  instant  in  season, 
out  of  season ;  reprove,  rebuke,  exhort  with  all  long  suffering  and  doctrine." 
2  S.  Timothy  iv.  2. 

"These  things  speak,  and  exhort,  and  rebuke  with  all  authority.  Let  no 
man  despise  thee."     S.  Titus  ii.  15. 


278  Jay's  Answer.  [1823 

that  Titus  should  exercise  his  'authority'  in  rebuking  his  pres- 
byters in  anonymous  pamphlets ;  or  Timothy,  'his  long  suffering,' 
in  passionate  invectives  against  the  luckless  layman  who  should 
incur  his  displeasure  by  vindicating  the  opinions  of  the  other 
Bishops  of  the  Church." 

He  notes  that  the  Bishop  joins  Dr.  Milnor  with  himself 
in  both  his  pamphlets  as  the  objects  of  bitter  invective.  While 
Dr.  Milnor  is  abundantly  able  to  defend  himself,  'it  is,  how- 
ever, with  no  small  gratification,  that  I  recollect,  that  the  faults 
that  you  impute  to  Dr.  Milnor  are  similar  in  their  nature  to  those 
which  you  once  alleged  against  a  former  presbyter  of  this  dio- 
cese, on  whose  head  you  were  soon  after  called  to  assist  in 
placing  the  mitre." 

Judge  Jay  then  warns  the  Bishop  that  he  will  add  but  little 
to  his  cause  by  indiscriminately  defending  Mr.  Norris. 

He  alludes  to  the  Bishop's  rejection  of  the  editors  of  the 
Eclectic  Review  as  competent  judges  of  the  qualifications  of  a 
gentleman  because  they  were  not  members  of  the  Church  of 
England,  and  "a  prelate  of  that  Church  ceases  to  be  a  credible 
witness  the  moment  he  testifies  against  Mr.  Norris." 

He  continues :  "I  intimated  that  the  author  of  the  letter  to 
Lord  Liverpool  was  a  blackguard,  and  appealed  to  that  letter  in 
justification  of  the  epithet.  To  prove  the  injustice  of  my  lan- 
guage you  tell  me  of  the  Lords  and  Bishops  with  whom  he  associ- 
ates, and  is  it  impossible  for  a  man  who  keeps  such  company  to 
write  an  indecent  book?  Has  no  clergyman  of  the  Church  of 
England,  who  has  been  honoured  with  the  society  of  a  bishop 
ever  disgraced  his  calling? 

"Why  did  an  inspired  Apostle  remind  us  that  evil  communica- 
tions corrupt  good  manners,  if  those  whose  manners  are  good 
are  never  exposed  to  such  communications?  When  was  the 
defence  of  a  libeller  ever  before  vested  upon  the  number  and 
rank  of  his  associates?  It  may  be  very  true,  that  Mr.  Norris 
has  a  large  fortune — that  he  has  paid  you  the  compliment  of 
placing  £ioo  sterling  at  your  disposal — that  an  author  to  whom 
he  had  been  a  'munificent  patron,'  has  dedicated  a  book  to  him — 
nay,  even  that  he  has  served  on  a  committee  with  Lord  Kenyon, 
the  very  nobleman  who  presided  at  the  dinner,  'in  commemora- 
tion of  Mr.  Pitt,'  and  yet  all  this  has  just  as  much  to  do  with  the 
character  of  his  pamphlet,  as  the  Bedford  parsonage  has  with  the 
question  about  Bible  Societies.     While  I  protest  against  your 


1823]  Jay's  Answer.  279 

attempt  to  prove  the  decency  of  Mr.  Norris'  writing  by  such 
testimony  as  this,  I  most  cheerfully  acquiesce  in  an  appeal  to  his 
pages." 

He  then  fully  enters  into  the  examination  of  Mr.  Norris's 
^'comparison  of  the  Bible  Society  with  the  illuminati,"  and  his 
other  objections  to  such  a  society.  He  gives  an  account  of  the 
German  illuminati  and  their  mysteries  and  dwells  upon  the 
alleged  corruption  of  women  and  children  which  was  a  part  of 
their  plan. 

In  the  course  of  his  discussion  Judge  Jay  says : 

"Mr.  Norris's  atrocious  insinuations  against  the  females  who 
belong  to  the  Bible  Societies  excite,  Sir,  in  your  breast  no  indig- 
nation. You  think  his  idle  tales  unsupported  by  proof,  of  ladies 
■•invading,'  as  you  term  it,  'the  privacy  and  sanctity  of  the  domes- 
tic household,  and  in  the  absence  of  its  head  or  guardian,  operat- 
ing upon  children  and  servants  to  draw  from  them  contributions 
and  support  to  Bible  Societies,'  afford  'some  cause  for  strong 
expressions.'  That  is  they  afford  'some  cause'  for  declaring  that 
the  Bible  Society  'by  trepanning  ladies  into  their  assemblies  to 
be  the  auditors  of  its  seductive  and  inflammatory  harangues'  has 
^corrupted  a  generation  for  its  own  purposes.' 

"Some  cause  for  the  vile  slander  that  'the  progress  of  female 
demoralization  among  that  portion  of  the  sex  which  has  fallen  a 
prey  to  Bible  Society  beguilements,  may  be  traced  by  any  one 
who  has  the  daily  registers  of  the  period  within  his  reach,  and 
sufficient  command  of  time  for  the  investigation!'  In  other 
words  that  the  'demoralization  of  the  female  members  of  Bible 
Societies  is  so  open  and  notorious  that  it  may  be  learned  by  any 
one  who  examines  the  daily  newspapers  and  other  chronicles  of 
the  times! 

"And  you,  Sir,  pour  upon  me  the  vials  of  wrath  for  hinting 
that  this  man  is  a  blackguard.  Had  I  applied  to  him  an  epithet, 
involving  deeper  moral  guilt  than  want  of  decency  I  should  have 
done  him  no  injustice.  If  Mr.  Norris's  assertions  respecting  the 
females  who  belong  to  the  English  Bible  Societies  be  true,  it  is 
then  for  the  police  to  suppress  the  New-York  Ladies'  Bible 
Society,  for  it  is  formed  upon  the  English  model.  It  is  then  for 
the  gentlemen  of  New- York  to  rescue  their  mothers,  their  wives 
and  their  daughters  from  its  corrupting  influence  before  the 
daily  registers  also  proclaim  their  'demoralization.' 


280  Jay's  Answer.  [1823 

"But  where,  Sir,  does  Mr.  Norris  find  a  warrant  for  this 
abominable  slander?  He  does  not  even  allude  to  one  solitary 
female  whose  morals  have  been  contaminated  by  Bible  Societies. 
Again  then,  Sir,  I  will  ask,  is  it  for  the  man  who  has  caused 
such  slanders  to  be  republished ;  is  it  for  him  I  say  to  complain 
of  the  'ungentlemanly  and  unchristian  style'  of  my  letter  ?  I  will 
even  ask  is  it  for  a  Bishop  who  publishes  and  excuses  such 
libels  upon  institutions  patronized  by  numbers  of  his  right  rever- 
end brethren,  is  it  for  him  to  rebuke  one  of  his  presbyters  in  the 
public  newspapers,  for  regarding  as  'blinded'  those  Christians 
who  oppose  the  union  of  their  fellow  Christians  for  the  sole  pur- 
pose of  making  known  the  records  of  their  common  salvation?" 

He  then  cites  largely  from  Mr.  Norris's  "Practical  Exposition 
of  the  Tendency  and  Proceeding  of  the  British  and  Foreign 
Bible  Society,"  a  previous  work,  to  justify  the  opinion  of  the 
Bishop  of  St.  David's,  that  it  was  full  of  "calumnies." 

He  quotes  a  passage  from  the  Pastoral  Letter  of  the  House 
of  Bishops  in  1814,  to  which  he  had  already  in  his  first  Letter 
called  the  Bishop's  attention;  congratulating  "all  the  members 
of  our  Church"  upon  the  formation  and  work  of  the  British  and 
Foreign  Bible  Society. 

"We  should  conceive  ourselves  wanting  on  this  occasion  to  the 
high  duties  of  our  stations  zvere  we  to  neglect  to  bear  our  testi- 
mony in  favour  of  this  energetic  efifort  for  the  disappointment  of 
the  wicked  designs  of  infidelity,  for  the  extending  of  the  influ- 
ence of  pure  and  undefiled  religion,  and  finally  for  the  carrying 
into  effect  of  those  gracious  promises  of  heaven  which  will  not 
have  been  accomplished  until  'the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  shall 
cover  the  earth  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea.'  "^ 

He  dwells  upon  the  Bishop's  disavowal  of  any  agreement  with 
the  sentiments  of  the  paragraph  upon  Bible  Societies  while  agree- 
ing to  the  issue  of  the  Pastoral,  and  says,  "Your  inconsistency  in 
agreeing  to  a  letter  containing  this  high  encomium  upon  Bible 
Societies,  and  in  suffering  it  to  go  forth  to  the  world  with  your 
sanction,  and  in  speaking  of  it  afterwards  not  as  the  act  of  him 
who  drafted  it,  but  of  'the  Bishops  in  their  capacity  as  the  spirit- 
ual guardians  of  the  Church,'  had  not  been  alluded  to  by  me,  and 

1.  A  copy  of  this  Pastoral  Letter  will  be  found  in  Bowen's  Reprint  of 
the  Journal  of  the  General  Convention,  1785-1814  (Philadelphia,  1817),  pp. 
369-381.    The  passage  quoted  by  Judge  Jay  is  on  p.  380. 


1823]  _Jay'S  Answer.  281 

you  owe  its  exposure  to  your  own  indiscretion.  It  seems  your 
moderation  induced  you  to  assent  to  the  declaration  that  you 
would  conceive  yourself  wanting  to  the  high  duties  of  your 
station  were  you  to  neglect  to  bear  your  testimony  in  favour  of 
an  effort  which  you  have  since  represented  in  a  pastoral  letter  of 
your  own,  as  hazardous  to  'our  apostolic  ministry  and  primitive 
and  evangelical  worship.'  An  effort  which  you  stigmatize  as 
separating  the  Word  and  the  Church  of  God!  It  was  modera- 
tion which  led  you  to  congratulate  'all  the  members  of  our 
Church'  on  the  extension  of  institutions  which  the  very  next 
year  you  advised  your  people  not  to  countenance!  It  is,  Sir,  to 
be  regretted  that  you  have  riot  exercised  your  moderation  on 
various  other  occasions  when  it  might  have  been  displayed  at  a 
less  costly  sacrifice  of  duty  and  opinion.  I  will  not  now  dwell  on 
the  utter  and  merited  contempt  to  which  these  pastoral  letters 
must  be  reduced,  so  soon  as  it  shall  be  understood  that  our 
Bishops  make  in  them  assertions  which  they  do  not  believe,  and 
offer  advice  which  they  themselves  are  the  first  to  disregard. 

"You,  I  suspect,  Sir,  are  the  only  Bishop  who  would  make 
such  an  avowal.  It  is  with  pleasure  I  perceive  in  the  late  pas- 
toral letter  no  disposition  on  the  part  of  our  Bishops  to  recant 
or  explain  away  the  opinion  they  have  formerly  expressed." 

He  alludes  to  the  Bishop's  apparent  desire  to  issue  his  pam- 
phlet before  the  meeting  of  the  General  Convention  in  May, 
1823.  Assuming  that  each  Bishop  had  received  a  copy,  he 
makes  the  allegation  that  the  passage  of  the  Pastoral  in  which 
opinions  expressed  in  previous  pastorals  are  declared  to  be  held 
"in  the  same  grade  of  importance,"  should  thus  be  interpreted : 
"The  present  Bishops,  acting  in  their  corporate  capacity,  thus  as- 
sume the  responsibiilty  of  all  the  former  pastoral  letters,  and  sanc- 
tion the  opinions  expressed  in  them.  Hence  the  subject  of  Bible 
societies  which  in  18 14  was  a  point  so  interesting  to  'our  com- 
munion' as  to  afford  cause  for  congratulation  to  'all  members  of 
our  Church,'  is  in  1823  regarded  by  the  House  of  Bishops  'in 
the  same  grade  of  importance,'  and  the  letter  of  1 814  is  a  record 
of  the  sentiments  on  this  subject  which  they  are  still  desirous  of 
sustaining.  In  defending  Bible  societies  I  am  therefore  defend- 
ing the  official  and  reiterated  recommendation  and  opinion  of 
the  Bishops  of  my  Church.     I  am  acting  with  the  approbation  of 


282  Hobart's  "  Note."  [1823 


those  friends  whose  opinions  I  most  venerate  and  I  am  obeying 
the  dictates  of  my  own  conscience. 

"You,  Sir,  have  accused  me  of  fanaticism.  Be  it  so.  I  have 
no  desire  to  disclaim  a  fanaticism  which  I  have  in  common  with 
the  greatest,  and  wisest  and  best  of  men, 

"Such  a  fanaticism  I  have  no  ambition  to  exchange  for  that 
cold-blooded  scepticism  which  pronounces  in  the  language  of  your 
friend,  Mr.  Norris.  that  no  other  issue  is  to  be  expected  from  the 
exertions  of  Bible  societies  than  'that  righteousness  of  life  shall 
also  be  cast  azvay,  and  the  utmost  licentiousness,  both  in  opinion 
and  practice  be  established.'  " 

"I  am,  Right  Reverend  Sir, 

"Your  Humble  servant, 

"William  Jay." 

Bedford,  12th  September,  1823. 

To  this  Letter  is  added  an  appendix  of  six  pages  in  which 
classified  extracts  from  Mr.  Norris's  "Letter  to  Lord  Liverpool" 
are  given. 

The  full  title  is :  "A  Reply  to  a  Second  Letter  to  the  Author 
from  the  Right  Rev.  Bishop  Hobart  with  remarks  on  his  hos- 
tility to  Bible  Societies  and  his  mode  of  defending  it;  and  also 
on  his  vindication  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Norris's  late  Pamphlet.  By 
William  Jay.  New- York:  Published  by  John  P.  Raven,  Theo- 
logical Bookseller,  No.  182  Broadway.  D.  Fanshaw,  Printer, 
I  Murray  Street.     1823."    8vo.  pp.  32. 

It  was  only  two  days  before  he  sailed  that  Bishop  Hobart  in 
a  "Note"  answered  Judge  Jay. 

He  begins  with  ironic  dignity.  The  mingled  sarcasm  and 
argument  make  this  closing  pamphlet  of  the  controversy  worth 
careful  attention  after  eighty-five  years  of  unlimited  supplies  of 
the  Holy  Scriptures  by  many  Bible  Societies  and  at  a  time  when 
the  Bible  as  the  Word  of  God  is  both  assailed  and  defended. 

You  reiterate  the  assertion,  that  I  "have  stooped  to  personal 
abuse."  It  is  sufficient  for  me  again  to  reply,  "that  your  private 
character  stands  unimpeached  by  me."  Your  public  character 
only  as  "a  Churchman  of  the  Diocese  of  New  York,"  in  which 
character  you  assailed  "your  Bishop,"  has  been  the  subject  of  my 
animadversions.     And  your  public  character,  as  illustrative  of 


1823]  Hobarfs  *' Note."  283 

the  motives  which  prompted  your  attack  upon  Bishop  Hobart, 
and  of  the  credit  to  be  given  to  your  representations,  it  was  my 
duty  to  criticise. 

On  this  point  I  have  nothing  to  retract,  and  can  give  you  no 
consolation. 

For  I  do  not  hesitate  to  assert,  that  of  the  numerous  Clergy 
and  Laity  who  have  witnessed  your  conduct  in  the  various  Eccle- 
siastical Conventions  which  you  have  attended,  there  are  not 
half  a  dozen  who  would  hesitate  to  assert  that  it  was  character- 
ized by  "pertness,  boldness,  and  dogmatism."  I  have  charity 
enough  for  you  to  believe,  that  you  do  not  know  yourself,  and 
certainly  I  have  no  reason  to  hope  that  I  shall  be  able  to  force 
this  knowledge  upon  you. 

In  your  second  Letter  you  asserted  that  I  "had  dragged  before 
the  public  your  family  and  your  congregation."  To  which  I 
replied  by  the  inquiry,  "Have  I  said  anything  of  them  untrue  or 
improper  to  be  said?"  I  have  said,  and  still  say,  that  as  far  as 
the  Journals  of  the  Convention  are  evidence,  they  have  not  con- 
tributed to  the  spiritual  wants  of  their  destitute  brethren  in  this 
Diocese,  but  that  as  soon  as  Missionary  exertions  are  contem- 
plated  out  of  the  Diocese,  they  liberally  contributed.  Could  I 
suppose  you  would  misconstrue  me  as  insinuating  that  other 
than  Episcopal  exertions  were  meant,  when  the  Episcopal  Do- 
mestic and  Foreign  Missionary  Society  was  mentioned  a  few 
pages  before?  I  alluded  also  to  the  fact  of  contributions  being 
solicited  in  New  York  for  aid  in  building  their  Rector  a  parson- 
age house.  And  this  statement  you  think  was  indelicate  and 
wanton.  Recollect,  Sir,  your  Diocesan  was  accused  by  you  of 
passing  only  "a  freezing  recommendation"  on  the  Domestic  and 
Foreign  Missionary  Society  of  the  Episcopal  Church.  And  it 
was  proper,  therefore,  to  show  that  you  and  those  whom  you 
influence,  or  by  whom  you  are  influenced,  while  you  are  dis- 
tinguished for  liberality  abroad,  either  neglect,  or  do  not  fully 
provide  for  your  own  household.  The  fact.  Sir,  is  so.  For  I  do 
contend  that  individuals  or  congregations  who  can  thus  liberally 
contribute  to  foreign  purposes,  ought  to  furnish  their  Clergyman 
with  a  parsonage  house,  without  calling  for  aid  on  the  citizens 
of  New  York,  subject  as  they  are  to  applications  from  all  quar- 
ters, and  for  all  purposes. 

That  individuals,  or  a  congregation  who  do  not  furnish  their 


284  Hobart's  "  Note."  [1823 


Minister  with  a  parsonage,  but  send  him  soHciting  elsewhere,  do 
not  fully  provide  for  their  own  household,  is  too  plain  to  need 
proof.  This  was  the  whole  extent  of  my  declaration.  And  yet, 
advancing  further  in  bold  and  wanton  assertion  you  charge  me, 
that  "regardless  of  age  and  sex,  I  have  accused,  in  no  unintelli- 
gible language,  your  dearest  and  nearest  connections  of  parsi- 
mony.^ And  you  do  this  in  the  face  of  a  sentence  that  must  have 
met  your  eye  on  the  very  page  which  you  say  contains  this  charge, 
and  in  which  I  speak  of  the  "well  known  pious  liberality  of  your 
family"  r  in  the  very  face  of  a  sentence  on  the  preceding  page, 
in  which  I  speak  of  the  "many  virtues  of  this  family  as  standing 
in  no  need  of  eulogium  from  me." 

In  page  8,  alluding  to  Bishop  Hobart's  Address  to  the  Con- 
vention, in  which  he  briefly  noticed  the  principles  that  he  thought 
should  regulate  the  Churchmen  with  respect  to  Bible  Societies, 
you  observe,  "No  duty  demanded  a  fresh  attack;  but  hostilities 
must  not  cease;  and  for  a  fourth  time  you  appeared  the  official 
assailant  of  Bible  Societies  in  your  recent  Address  to  the  Con- 
vention." Do  you  forget,  Sir,  that  after  years  of  silence  on  this 
subject,  on  the  part  of  Bishop  Hobart,  the  President  of  the 
American  Bible  Society  thought  fit  to  assert  "in  no  unintelligible 
language"  that  the  opponents  of  Bible  Societies  were  "opposed 
to  the  distribution  of  the  Scriptures,  and  would  be  found  fighting 
against  God."  Do  you  forget  that  this  Address  preceded  the 
republication  of  Norris's  pamphlet,  and  the  delivery  of  Bishop 
Hobart's  Address.  And  must  a  Christian  Bishop  be  denounced 
because  in  an  official  address  acknowledged  by  you  to  be  "free 
from  oflfensive  personalities"  he  presumed  to  defend  himself  from 
the  charge  of  being  "opposed  to  the  distribution  of  the  Scriptures, 
and  fighting  against  God." 

On  this  point  you  continue  to  misrepresent  Bishop  Hobart. 
He  is  not  opposed  to  the  distribution  of  the  uncommented  Scrip- 
tures, but  to  the  mode  of  distributing  by  Societies  which  he 
thinks  in  their  organization  and  proceedings  are  in  many  respects 
objectionable,  and  particularly  as  they  have  no  regard  in  either 
their  organization  or  their  proceedings  to  the  divinely  consti- 
tuted body  of  Christ,  to  the  Christian  Church  in  its  doctrines, 
ministry,  or  worship. 

1.  Page  7. 

2.  Second  Letter  of  Corrector,  p.  2.3,  note. 


1823]  Hobart's  "Note."  286 

Your  introduction^  of  scenes  long  since  past  away,  in  which 
you  speak  of  "him  who  was  involved  in  a  bitter  and  personal 
quarrel  with  several  of  his  reverend  brethren,"  lets  out,  I  fear, 
the  real  secret  of  that  continued  opposition  to  your  Diocesan, 
which  you  mask  under  zeal  for  Bible  Societies. 

You  reiterate  your  accusation  of  inconsistency  against  Bishop 
Hobart  for  assenting  to  a  Pastoral  Letter  containing  an  approba- 
tion of  Bible  Societies,  and  adduce  a  recent  testimony  of  the 
Bishops  of  the  importance  of  the  sentiment  contained  in  their 
former  Pastoral  Letter,  as  evidence  of  the  entire  assent  of  every 
Bishop,  to  every  part  of  these  documents.  Let  me  inquire — Have 
you  never  given  your  assent  to  measures,  and  to  laws  in  which 
there  were  some  features  which  you  deemed  objectionable? 

In  that  part  of  my  last  Letter,  which  you  are  pleased  to  term 
a  vindication  of  Mr.  Norris,  I  had  asserted  that  "he  conveyed 
the  opinion  that  Bible  Societies  used  the  same  arts  to  accomplish 
their  purposes  which  the  illuminati  had  successfully  employed. 
And  he  is  not  deficient  in  the  statement  of  facts  to  support  his 
assertion."  In  this  sentence  I  do  not  advance  the  opinion  that 
Mr.  Norris's  statement  of  facts  prove  his  assertion.  I  only  say 
he  is  not  deficient  in  the  statement  of  facts  to  support  it,  express- 
ing no  opinion  as  to  whether  this  statement  is  conclusive  ta  the 
purpose  for  which  it  is  adduced.  Yet  you  tell  me  "your  declara- 
tion is  in  substance,  that  the  facts  adduced  by  Mr.  Norris  prove 
that  Bible  Societies  use  the  same  insidious  means  and  contriv- 
ances as  the  illuminati  had  successfully  employed."  And  address- 
ing me  very  solemnly,  you  proceed,  "Here,  Sir,  I  join  issue  with 
you,  and  be  assured  you  have  a  deep  interest  in  the  result.  You 
have  voluntarily  assumed  the  responsibility  of  a  most  odious  and 
calumnious  assertion.  You,  a  minister  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
accuse  associations  formed  for  the  express  purpose  of  spreading 
the  Gospel  of  your  Master — associations  embracing  numerous 
Bishops  and  Clergymen  of  the  parent  Church,  and  officially  com- 
mended by  the  Bishops  of  our  own — you  accuse  these  associa- 
tions of  using  the  same  arts  as  were  employed  by  a  vile  con- 
spiracy of  jacobins  and  infidels."  What  must  we  think  of  the 
consistency  of  the  Churchman,  and  the  honesty  of  the  man  who 
would  found  a  charge  of  this  description  against  his  Bishop,  on 
a  glaring  perversion  of  his  language? 

I.    Page  i6. 


286  Hobart's  '*  Note."  [1823 


You  assert  that  I  "accuse  you  of  fanaticism."  Sir,  I  denomi- 
nated an  opinion  which  you  held  fanatical,  but  I  disavow  the 
general  imputation  to  you  of  fanaticism. 

In  your  first  Letter  you  had,  without  any  qualification  styled 
Mr.  Norris  "a  blackguard."  And  now  you  think  he  deserves 
"an  epithet,  involving  deeper  moral  guilt  than  want  of  decency."^ 
Perverting  his  remarks,  and  applying  them  where  he  certainly 
never  intended  to  apply  them  to  Female  Bible  Societies  in  this 
country,  you  speak  of  his  "atrocious  insinuations,"  of  "his 
abominable  slanders."  In  all  this,  you  identify  Bishop  Hobart 
with  Mr.  Norris ;  and  complete  the  climax  of  your  imputations  by 
that  of  "cold-blooded  scepticism."*  Sir,  you  speak  of  your  meas- 
uring your  deference  to  Bishop  Hobart  only  by  the  respect  you 
owe  yourself.'  Sorry  I  am  (for  though  you  will  not  believe  it, 
I  am  not  hostile  to  you  in  your  private  capacity)  that  you  should 
estimate  yourself  so  low — very  low.  But  after  the  specimen 
which  I  have  given  you  of  the  spirit  and  language  of  your  Letter, 
shall  I  be  censured  for  the  declaration,  that  any  further  corre- 
spondence with  "William  Jay"  is  forbidden  by  self-respect,  by  a 
regard  to  public  decency,  and  by  the  higher  considerations  of 
Christian  duty?  Corrector. 

New  York,  22  Sept.,  1823, 


1.  Page  21. 

2.  Page  26. 
3-     Page  7. 


CHAPTER  X. 

CONTENTS. 

Ill  health  of  Bishop  Hobart  —  His  Departure  for  Europe  —  Address  from 
the  N.  Y.  Auxiliary  Society  on  this  Occasion  —  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Bible 
and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  of  the  Central  Part  of  the  State,  Septem- 
ber 24,  1823  —  Sermon  by  the  Rev.  Lucius  Smith  —  Report  of  the  Eighth 
Annual  Meeting  of  the  New  York  Auxiliary  Society,  January  26,  1824  — 
Prosperity  of  the  Society  —  Address  by  the  Rev.  Cornelius  R.  Duffie  — 
Fourteenth  Annual  Report  of  the  N.  Y.  B.  &  C.  P.  B.  Society  —  Report  of  the 
September  22,  1824  —  Letter  from  the  Rev.  H.  Anthon  to  Bishop  Hobart  — 
Address  to  Episcopalians  in  the  U.  S.  from  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the 
N.  Y.  Auxiliary  Society,  November,  1824  —  Ninth  Annual  Meeting  of  the 
N.  Y.  Auxiliary  Society  —  Its  Report  —  Fifteenth  Annual  Report  of  the 
N.  Y.  B.  &  C.  P.  B.  Society,  1825  —  Sixteenth  Annual  Meeting  and  Report, 
1826  —  Eleventh  Annual  Meeting  and  Report  of  the  Auxiliary  Society,  1826  — 
Distribution  of  the  Prayer  Book  in  the  Navy  —  First  Arrangement  for  Public 
Worship  on  a  Man  of  War  Made  —  Services  Held  on  the  "Ontario"  —  On 
the  "Cyane"  —  The  "Erie"  and  The  "Constitution"  —  Correction  of  Plates 
to  Bring  the  Bible  and  Prayer  Book  up  to  the  Standard  Versions  —  Death 
of  Mr.  Gulian  Ludlow. 

THE  summer  of  1823  found  Bishop  Hobart  in  a  wretched 
state  of  health.  Few  people  nowadays  realize  the  extent 
of  the  work  which  Bishop  Hobart  did  for  the  Church  in 
America.  He  was  not  only  rector  of  the  premier  parish  in  the 
country,  but  practically,  what  we  call  to-day,  a  missionary  Bishop 
not  only  over  the  whole  of  the  State  of  New  York,  but  for  a 
time  his  Bishopric  included  the  States  of  Connecticut  and  New 
Jersey,  and  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  "Western  Reserve"  had 
been  settled  by  Connecticut  Churchmen  it  was  considered  as  an 
annex  to  Connecticut,  and  Bishop  Hobart  therefore  had  both 
Ohio  and  Michigan  under  his  protection.  The  government  of 
Trinity  Parish  was  a  difficult  task  in  those  days,  the  clergy  of 
the  Parish  were  brilliant  and  ambitious  men,  and  with  the  ex- 
ception of  Dr.  Berrian  were  jealous  and  suspicious  of  every  act 
of  their  Rector.  The  finances  of  the  Corporation  were  at  low 
ebb,  the  calls  on  it  for  help  were  incessant.    Congregations  could 

287 


288  Address  to  Bishop  Hobart.  [1823 

not  differentiate  between  the  position  of  Hobart  as  Rector  and 
Bishop.  As  Rector  it  was  his  duty  to  conserve  the  interests  of 
the  funds  of  the  Corporation,  as  Bishop  he  saw  the  imperious 
necessity  of  aiding  the  beginnings  of  parish  work  in  the  vast 
area  under  his  rule.  Then  again,  he  was  a  man  of  strong  con- 
victions, and  this  involved  him  in  many  controversies  at  home 
and  abroad,  not  the  least  annoying  of  which  was  the  one  over 
the  formation  of  our  Society.  Never  of  a  robust  health,  this 
constant  strain  told  on  him  at  last,  and  added  to  these  mental 
anxieties  were  the  physical  discomforts  of  the  long  journeys, 
broken  rest  and  unsuitable  food.  In  the  summer  of  1823  the 
Bishop  went  with  his  friend  Dr.  Berrian  to  Canada,  but  a  sharp 
attack  of  intermittent  fever  caused  the  curtailment  of  the  trip. 
On  his  return  to  New  York  his  friends  insisted  on  his  going  to 
Europe,  in  the  hopes  that  the  long  sea  voyage  and  enforced  rest 
would  benefit  him.  He  sailed  for  Liverpool,  in  the  packet-ship 
Meteor,  on  Wednesday,  September  24,  1823. 

Many  of  the  clergy  and  others  accompanied  him  to  the  Nar- 
rows, addresses  showing  the  respect  and  admiration  in  which 
he  was  ^leld  were  presented  to  him  from  the  clergy  of  the  city, 
members  of  various  societies,  many  of  them  not  connected  with 
the  Church. 

Among  them  was  this  affectionate  address: 

Tuesday  evening,  September  23,  1823. 

The  members  of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Auxiliary 
New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  being  as- 
sembled for  the  transaction  of  the  ordinary  concerns  of  the 
Society,  and  aware  of  your  intended  departure  for  Europe  to- 
morrow, most  gladly  avail  themselves  of  the  opportunity  thus 
afforded  to  convey  to  you  the  renewed  assurance  of  their  respect 
and  esteem  both  for  your  private  and  official  character,  and  of 
the  interest  that  they  feel  in  common  with  their  senior  brethren 
of  the  Church,  in  the  recovery  of  your  health  and  your  restor- 
ation to  your  family  and  friends  and  to  the  bosom  of  that  portion 
of  the  Christian  Church,  whose  affairs  for  a  series  of  years  you 
have  conducted  with  such  distinguished  ability,  assiduity  and 
usefulness. 

On  an  occasion  which  is  to  separate  us  for  a  considerable  time 
from  our  diocesan  whom  we  have  been  accustomed  to  revere 


1823]  Sermon  by  Rev.  L.  Smith.  289 

and  to  love,  and  whose  counsel  has  been  our  guide  in  the  affairs 
of  those  institutions  of  the  Church  in  which  we  have  had  the 
honour  and  gratification  of  being  early  participants,  we  trust, 
we  may  without  any  violation  of  the  high  respect  and  deference 
we  owe  you,  be  permitted  to  express  our  emotions.  To  say  that 
we  feel  an  interest  in  the  recovery  of  your  health  would  be  but 
a  frigid  and  feeble  expression  of  our  feelings ;  be  assured.  Right 
Reverend  and  dear  Sir,  that  we  feel  an  interest  beyond  the  power 
of  expression,  in  all  that  concerns  your  personal  comfort  and 
happiness,  as  it  regards  yourself  and  your  family  and  your  char- 
acter, dignity  and  usefulness  in  the  Church. 

Did  time  permit  we  could  dwell  with  peculiar  delight  on  the 
many  and  prominent  traits  of  your  private  and  official  character 
which  have  attracted  our  attention  and  commanded  our  admir- 
ation and  affection ;  but  circumstanced  as  we  are,  we  must  forego 
this  gratification,  and  beg  your  acceptance  of  this  unpremeditated 
and  spontaneous  effusion  of  our  feelings.  Commending  you  to 
the  merciful  care  and  guidance  of  the  great  Head  of  the 
Church  throughout  all  the  perils  of  your  journey,  and  most 
earnestly  invoking  the  choicest  blessings  upon  you,  we  have  the 
honour  to  be  your  devoted  and  affectionate  friends. 

Signed,  &c.,  &c.^ 

On  the  day  of  the  Bishop's  departure  there  was  being  held  the 
annual  meeting  of  the  organization  in  which  he  had  always 
taken  a  great  interest  and  to  which  he  gave  the  promise  of  a 
small  endowment  under  certain  conditions. 

The  third  anniversary  of  the  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book 
Society  of  the  central  part  of  the  State  was  held  on  September 
24,  1823,  in  St.  Paul's  Church,  Oxford,  Chenango  County,  A 
sermon  was  preached  by  the  Rev.  Lucius  Smith,  of  St,  James' 
Church,  Batavia.  It  reported  that  the  constitution  had  been 
printed  and  three  hundred  copies  circulated  in  "the  different 
counties  composing  our  union," 

Thirty-eight  Bibles  and  four  hundred  and  twenty-four  Prayer 
Books  have  been  distributed.  The  total  number  of  volumes 
distributed  since  the  organization  of  the  Society  in  July,  1821, 
had  been  eleven  hundred  and  sixty-two. 

The  efforts  of  the  Society   were   being   exerted   to  obtain  a 

I.    The  Christian  Journal,  October,  1823,    Volume  VII.  No.  10. 
(19) 


290  Annual  Meeting.  [1824 


grant  of  five  hundred  dollars  promised  by  the  Bishop  on  con- 
dition that  a  similar  amount  be  raised  by  the  Society.  For  this 
purpose  the  Society  had  engaged  an  agent  to  solicit  subscrip- 
tions.* 

It  was  under  happier  auspices  that  the  members  of  the  Aux- 
iliary Society  assembled  for  the  annual  meeting  in  1824.  Even 
the  condensed  record  in  the  minutes  does  not  repress  the  note  of 
exultant  gratitude. 

The  Eighth  Annual  Meeting  of  the  "Auxiliary  New  York 
Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society"  was  held  in  St.  Paul's 
Chapel,  on  Monday,  January  26th,  1824,  at  7  o'clock,  P.  M., 
William  E.  Dunscomb,  Esq.,  senior  Vice  President,  in  the 
Chair,  and  Charles  Keeler,  Secretary. 

The  Eighth  Annual  Report  of  the  Board  of  Managers  was 
read  by  Mr.  Floyd  Smith,  whereupon  the  following  resolution, 
offered  by  the  Rev.  Benjamin  T.  Onderdonk,  was  unanimously 
adopted : 

Resolved,  That  the  Society  accept,  with  high  approbation,  the 
Report  of  the  Board  of  Managers,  which  contains  a  gratifying 
exhibition  of  the  improved  condition  of  the  institution,  and  of 
the  motives  that  should  animate  its  members  and  friends  to 
continue  to  it  their  patronage  and  influence. 

On  motion  of  the  Rev.  Jonathan  M.  Wainwright,  D.D., 
Resolved,  That  the  Society  present  to  the  Board  of  Managers 
their  cordial  thanks  for  the  prudence,  zeal  and  perseverance  with 
which  they  have  discharged  their  duties;  and  unite  with  them 
in  imploring  for  the  institution  the  continuance  of  the  blessings 
of  a  gracious  Providence. 

On  motion  of  the  Rev.  Henry  J.  Feltus,  D.D,.  Resolved,  That 
the  Society  feel  more  and  more  deeply  impressed  with  the  im- 
portance of  the  objects  for  which  they  have  been  associated ;  and 
that  they  will,  under  the  Divine  blessing,  continue  to  prosecute 
them  with  unabating  diligence. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Floyd  Smith,  Resolved,  That  the  Report 
just  read,  and  the  proceedings  of  this  meeting,  be  published 
under  the  direction  of  the  Board  of  Managers. 

The    Society   then   proceeded  to  the  election  of  a  Board  of 

I.  For  the  report  in  full,  see  the  Christian  Journal,  November,  1823. 
Volume  VII.  No.  11. 


1824]  Eighth  Auxiliary  Report.  291 

Managers  for  the  ensuing  year,  when  the  following  gentlemen 
were  declared  to  be  duly  elected,  viz : 

William  E.  Dunscomb,  President/ 

J.  Smyth  Rogers,  M.D.,  ist  Vice  President. 

John  Watts,  Jun.,  M.D.,  2nd  Vice  President. 

John  J.  Lambert,  3rd  Vice  President. 

Charles  W.  Sandford,  Corresponding  Secretary. 

Charles  Keeler,  Recording  Secretary. 

Floyd  Smith,  Treasurer. 

Thomas  N.  Stanford,  Agent. 

Managers : — Luther  Bradish,  Richard  Oakley,  Henry  Barclay, 
Charles  Nichols,  J.  Lawrence  Moore,  Henry  Bicker,  William  H. 
Harrison,  D.  A.  Cushman,  Peter  Kean,  Benjamin  M.  Brown, 
Charles  N.  S.  Rowland,  John  W.  Kearney,  Cornelius  S.  Bar- 
tow, Charles  Anthon,  Robert  Hyslop,  William  Beach  Lawrence, 
Thomas  T.  Groshon.  James  F.  Depeyster, 

Eighth  Annual  Report. 

The  Board  of  Managers  of  the  "Auxiliary  New  York  Bible 
and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society"  hail  the  return  of  another 
of  its  anniversaries  with  mingled  feelings  of  delight  and  grati- 
tude. 

The  portentous  gloom  which  some  time  previous  to  the  last 
anniversary  overspread  the  Society  has  been  dispelled.  The 
influence  of  the  prosperity  which  has  been  experienced  during 
the  past  year,  has  calmed  our  fears,  invigorated  our  hopes,  ani- 
mated our  exertions,  and,  we  trust,  will  continue  to  illumine  our 
prospects  of  future  usefulness. 

How  ardent  our  gratitude,  how  unfeigned  our  satisfaction, 
language  would  fail  to  express ;  and,  we  are  persuaded,  none 
can  justly  appreciate  but  those  whom  Providence  has  placed  in 
situations  of  similar  responsibility. 

The  important  influence  which  either  the  prosperity  or  ad- 
versity of  this  Society  exerts  upon  the  great  interests  of  our 
Church  will  ever  be  a  consideration  which  will  impart  a  thrill 
of  joy  or  of  anguish  to  our  feelings,  as  either  the  one  or  the 
other  may  prevail. 

******** 


I.    In  the  place  of  Henry  Barclay,  Esq.,  who  declined  a  re-election. 


292  Eighth  Auxiliary  Report.  [1824 

On  Sunday  evening,  the  9th  of  February  last,  after  the  cus- 
tomary arrangements  for  such  an  occasion,  a  sermon  was 
preached  in  St.  Paul's  Chapel,  for  the  benefit  of  the  Society,  by 
the  Rev.  George  Upfold,  M.D.,  Rector  of  St.  Luke's  Church. 
The  cause  of  the  Society  was  advocated  by  that  reverend 
gentleman  with  an  ability,  eloquence,  and  zeal,  as  creditable  to 
himself  as  it  was  substantially  beneficial  to  the  Society.  The 
manly  appeal  was  answered  by  a  liberality  which  added  to  our 
funds  the  sum  of  $279.12.  Fifty  dollars  of  which  was  in  a 
single  bill,  accompanied  by  a  note  from  the  generous  donor, 
stating  that  it  was  for  the  "permanent  fund."  It  was  immedi- 
ately deposited  in  the  Savings  Bank  to  the  credit  of  that  fund. 

Having  thus  auspiciously  commenced  the  eighth  year  of  the 
Society's  existence,  the  Board  determined  that  no  effort  on  their 
part  should  be  wanted  to  give  it  the  full  benefit  of  the  favour- 
able impression  made  upon  the  public  mind.  For  this  purpose 
the  Board  divided  itself  into  several  committees,  to  procure  new 
annual  and  life  subscribers.  This  measure  resulted  in  the  ac- 
quisition of  a  considerable  number  of  annual  subscribers,  and 
several  gentlemen  evinced  their  friendship  by  becoming  life 
subscribers. 

The  Treasurer,  in  his  report  to  the  Board,  stated  that  he  had 
carefully  examined  his  books  and  found  there  was  an  amount 
of  $482  due  to  the  Society  from  its  subscribers,  which  had  been 
accumulating  for  the  preceding  four  years.  The  experience  of 
other  Societies  convinced  him  that  this  result  was  to  be  ex- 
pected, without  in  the  least  degree,  impeaching  the  fidelity  of 
the  several  collectors  employed,  from  the  difficulty  of  finding 
the  individual  at  home,  and  being  obliged  to  make  their  returns 
within  a  prescribed  time.  Hence,  he  believed,  that  many  of  the 
subscribers  were  under  the  impression  that  they  had  never  been 
called  upon  in  the  usual  manner.  To  ascertain  this  fact,  and  to 
test  their  friendship  to  the  Society,  he  proposed  to  the  Board  to 
authorize  him  to  confine  his  efforts  during  the  year  to  the  col- 
lection of  this  amount.  That  authority  was  granted,  and  it  is 
with  great  satisfaction  we  announce  the  success  of  the  measures 
he  put  in  operation ;  $243  of  this  sum  was  paid  by  the  subscribers 
soon  after  his  circular  was  received  by  them,  and  $47  of  the 
balance  has  since  been  received  through  the  agency  of  a  col- 
lector, leaving  the  real  balance  of  unpaid  subscriptions,  at  the 


1824]  Address  by  Rev.  C.  R.  Duffie.  293 

close  of  1822,  of  $192.50;  and  much  of  this  amount  is  due  from 
individuals  who  removed  from  the  city. 

The  Treasurer's  account  current  exhibits  an  unexpended 
balance  of  $236.06.  But  this  the  Society  is  indebted  to  its  pub- 
lishers for  1,000  copies  of  the  Prayer  Book,  270  copies  of  which 
remain  unappropriated  in  the  depository.  When  these  books 
shall  have  been  paid  for,  there  will  be  a  balance  of  $63.94  due 
the  Treasurer. 

The  "permanent  fund"  has  been  augmented  from  $425  to 
$652.13,  which  includes  the  amount  of  interest  due  thereon  up 
to  this  time;  $600  of  this  fund  is  out  at  interest  at  7  per  cent,  per 
annum,  payable  quarterly.  The  principal  is  secured  by  bond 
and  mortgage.  The  balance  is  also  out  at  interest  at  6  per  cent, 
per  annum,  in  perfectly  safe  hands. 

On  the  subject  of  our  distributions,  we  cannot  better  express 
ourselves  than  in  the  language  of  our  Agent,  in  his  Annual 
Report  to  the  Board:  "The  gratuitous  distributions  during  the 
past  year  amount  to  500  Bibles  and  1,750  Prayer  Books.  And 
the  sales  for  the  same  period  amount  to  2,500  Prayer  Books; 
these,  added  to  the  former  sales  and  gratuitous  distributions, 
form  a  total  of  3,619  Bibles,  and  23,092  Prayer  Books,  or  26,711 
volumes,  which  have  issued  from  our.  depository  since  the 
formation  of  the  Society  in  1816." 

Our  stereotype  plates  for  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  have 
been  carefully  read  and  compared  with  the  standard  copy  set 
forth  by  the  recent  General  Convention,  agreeably  to  an  order 
of  the  Board  of  Managers.^ 

The  address  before  the  Society  in  Grace  Church  was  made 
by  one  who  had  been  a  founder  and  supporter  of  the  Society, 
and  taking  holy  orders  late  in  life  gave  his  life  and  fortune  to  the 
erection  of  St.  Thomas's  Church.    We  give  the  salient  parts : 

If  I  were  rising  at  this  time  in  behalf  of  an  institution,  new, 
untried,  and  even  doubtful  as  to  its  practical  operation,  the 
acknowledged  merits  of  the  object  which  the  managers  of  this 


I.  The  Eighth  Annual  Report  of  the  Managers  of  the  Auxiliary  New 
York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society.  New  York:  Printed  by  T. 
and  J.  Swords,  No  99  Pearl  Street.     1824. 


294  Address  by  Rev.  C.  R.  Duffie.  [1824 

Society  propose,  would  induce  me  to  solicit  for  their  enterprise 
the  means  of  a  fair  and  satisfactory  experiment. 

If  I  were  addressing  myself  to  an  assembly  of  whose  disposi- 
tion and  intention  in  relation  to  that  object  I  was  ignorant,  or 
unassured,  your  very  presence  would  be  deemed  to  speak  your 
approbation,  and  would  give  me  hope  of  favour  and  success. 
But  when  I  present  to  you  an  institution  whose  character  and 
plans  may  now  be  read,  not  in  its  promise  but  in  its  history — 
the  pledge  of  whose  future  usefulness  is  to  be  found  in  the 
faithful  and  successful  appHcation  of  all  the  means  with  which 
it  has  been  heretofore  intrusted — I  feel  that  there  is  little  for  me 
to  do,  but  to  refer  you  to  the  pages  which  unfold  their  annual 
proceedings,  and  to  stir  up  your  minds,  by  way  of  remembrance, 

in  order  to  win  your  kindness  and  to  ensure  your  aid. 

******** 

My  brethren,  I  present  to  you  an  institution  dear  to  the 
Church  we  love ;  pledged  to  the  sacred  interests  of  our  religion ; 
publicly  honoured  in  the  recorded  votes  of  the  Conventions  of 
other  Stales,  for  the  public  advantage  it  has  wrought;  often 
commended  for  its  efficiency  and  usefulness  in  our  own  diocese, 
in  the  addresses  of  our  reverend  and  beloved  Bishop  (whom  we 
pray  God  to  defend,  and  preserve,  and  prosper) — an  institution 
blessed  with  the  benediction  of  many  congregations  which  it  has 
aided  to  build  up — held  in  grateful  remembrance  by  thousands 
to  whom  it  has  given  the  word  of  life,  and  the  knowledge  of 
Christ's  kingdom  upon  earth;  an  institution,  in  fine,  which  we 
all  are  bound  to  regard  with  affection  for  what  it  already  has 
done,  and  to  pray  for  and  to  sustain  in  its  future  efforts,  since 
in  its  support  and  advancement  many  of  those  for  whom  the 
Saviour  shed  his  blood,  are  deeply,  and  it  may  be,  everlastingly, 
interested. 

Prospering  this  Society  you  extend  the  interests  of  humanity, 
of  morals,  and  of  the  Church  of  God — you  aid  the  Missionary 
Fund  by  relieving  it  of  all  demands  excepting  for  the  personal 
maintenance  of  those  who,  in  obedience  to  their  Lord,  go  forth 
to  preach  the  Gospel,  and  to  publish  peace;  and  it  is  a  con- 
sideration which  I  am  sure  you  will  not  overlook,  that  while 
you  promote  the  welfare  of  this  Society  you  also  cherish  the 
efforts  of  a  zealous  laity,  whose  time,  and  talents,  and  active 
exertions,  are  cheerfully  devoted  to  the  interests  of  religion,  and 
whose  spirit  and  influence  are  most  beneficially  felt  in  all  those 


1824]  Address  by  Rev.  C.  R.  Duffie.  295 

other  institutions  of  our  Church,  which  hold  out  the  promise  of 
increasing  prosperity  to  the  cause  of  God  and  his  truth. 

It  is  delightful  to  know  that  this  year  it  addresses  to  you  no 
longer  the  language  of  despair.  It  tells  you  that  "the  portentous 
gloom  has  been  dispelled."  It  comes  before  you  in  the  tlush  of 
success,  and  its  Managers  speak  of  liberal  and  bountiful  patron- 
age. In  their  name  I  thank  you — in  their  name,  and  in  the  name 
of  all  whom  you  have  blessed,  and  may  He  who  overlooks  not 
any  deed  of  kindness  and  of  charity  grant  you  your  reward. 

My  brethren,  what  awful  mysteries  are  yet  before  us!  what 
scenes  of  glory,  or  what  depths  of  suffering  hang  upon  this  little 
probation ! 

Is  it  not  worth  all  our  best  exertions  to  place  before  our  fellow 
men  their  responsibility  and  their  danger — their  duties  and  their 
destinies  ?  Are  we  thus  engaged  in  taking  part  with  God  ?  Ar« 
we  prospering  his  cause  in  the  world?  Are  we  aiding  in  the 
extension  of  his  kingdom — in  making  known  the  sanctions  of 
his  word — and  in  beating  down  the  empire  of  sin  and  death? 

Do  you  think  we  can  ever  be  required  to  do  too  much  for  a 
cause  which  involves,  as  well  the  eternal  interests  of  men,  as  the 
honour  and  glory  of  God?  There  have  been  those  who  have 
devoted  to  it  all  their  substance  and  all  their  efforts— all  the 
powers  of  their  bodies  and  all  the  energies  of  their  minds.  There 
have  been  men  who  for  the  cause  of  God  ventured  even  their 
lives,  and  have  not  shrunk  from  the  rack,  nor  from  the  sword, 
from  the  cross  nor  from  the  flame. 

To  such  instances  of  self  devotion  we  are  not  called ;  but 
need  I  remind  you  that  all  we  have  is  from  God,  and  therefore 
that  our  wealth,  our  talents,  our  influence,  our  example,  are  all 
due  to  the  promotion  of  his  glory,  and  the  spreading  of  his 
religion  among  men. 

But  what  is  the  amount  of  all  that  zve  have  ever  yet  done  for 
God?  Have  we,  indeed,  ever  made  any  sacrifices  for  Christ 
worthy  of  his  love,  or  proportioned  to  our  obligation.  Custom, 
and  the  opinion  of  the  world,  have  fixed  very  low  the  contribu- 
tion, and  the  exertion,  and  the  influence,  which  it  may  creditably 
suffice  to  give  to  the  service  of  the  Lord.  But  what  says  the 
warm  devotion  of  pious  gratitude,  contemplating  the  sacrifice  of 
Christ  and  the  hopes  of  Heaven?     What  says  the  colder  calcu- 


29b  Fourteenth  Annual  Report.  [1824 


lation  of  reason,  comparing  our  offerings  to  God  with  our  offer- 
ings to  pride,  and  to  passion,  and  to  the  world?  What  judgment 
will  God  himself  pass  upon  their  sufficiency? 

Ah!  my  brethren,  there  are  many  who  have  never  made  any 
real  sacrifices  for  Christ,  who  are  not  rendering  to  his  cause 
equivalent  for  the  benefits  they  are  continually  receiving  at  his 
hands. 

The  day  is  coming  which  will  pass  upon  their  neglect;  and 
how  should  they  listen  with  alarm  to  the  declaration  of  their 
Saviour,  "he  that  is  not  with  me  is  against  me." 

Let  us  be  found  on  the  side  of  Christ — let  us  have  our  fate 
linked  with  the  destinies  of  goodness  and  of  truth — let  us  ensure 
to  ourselves  the  reward  of  those  who  are  "workers  together  with 
God." 

An  opportunity  to  aid  his  cause  is  now  before  us.  Let  us 
present  to  it  a  ready  and  a  liberal  offering.  Let  the  high  sanc- 
tions we  have  considered — let  the  hopes  and  the  fears  which 
have  been  presented  to  our  view — let  our  love  to  God,  and  our 
love  to  man,  have  their  full  influence  in  determining  us  to  prosper 
this  and  every  other  institution  which  is  devoted  to  the  spread- 
ing of  the  truths  which  the  Gospel  makes  known.^ 

The  following  is  the  report  read  at  the  annual  meeting  of  1824 
as  printed  in  The  Christian  Journal : 

Fourteenth  Annual  Report. 

During  the  fifteenth  year  of  the  operations  of  the  New  York 
Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  the  Board  of  Managers 
have  been  enabled,  by  divine  blessing,  to  distribute  gratuitously 
246  Bibles  and  492  Prayer  Books.  Two  hundred  and  thirty 
octavo  Prayer  Books  have  been  drawn  for,  by  the  members  oa 
the  terms  of  the  Society.  An  aggregate  of  968  volumes,  there- 
fore, has  been  issued  from  our  depository  during  the  past  year. 
The  grand  aggregate  of  issues  since  the  formation  of  the  Society 
has  been  11,678  Bibles,  New  Testaments  and  Books  of  Common 
Prayer,  by  far  the  greater  part  of  them  distributed  gratuitously. 

I.  An  Address  delivered  before  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and 
Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  in  Grace  Church,  New  York,  February  l. 
1824,  by  Cornelius  R.  Duffie,  A.M.,  late  Vice-President  of  the  Society.  Pub- 
lished by  Request  of  the  Board  of  Managers.  New  York:  Printed  by  T» 
and  J.  Swords,  No.  29  Pearl  Street.     1824. 


1824]  Fourteenth  Annual  Report.  297 

The  only  receipt  into  the  permanent  fund  during  the  past  year 
has  been  a  contribution  of  $15  for  a  life  membership;  making 
the  present  amount  of  the  permanent  fund  $5,405.16.  The 
receipts  into  the  disposable  fund  have  been  $540.48,  and  the  dis- 
bursements therefrom  $460.01,  leaving  in  the  treasury  a  balance 

of  $79-57' 

There  are  remaining  in  the  depository  for  gratuitous  distribu- 
tion, 61  Bibles  and  176  Prayer  Books,  which  it  is  expected  will 
soon  be  distributed.  The  Board  at  its  last  meeting  appropriated 
$500  for  procuring  Bibles  and  Common  Prayer  Books  for  distri- 
bution during  the  ensuing  year. 

Our  operations  have  indeed  been  humble,  but  it  is  in  his  power 
to  whom  we  look  for  a  blessing  to  make  them  effectual  to  the 
most  important  results.  We  may  hope  that  some  whose  atten- 
tion has  been  arrested  by  the  volumes  we  have  circulated  have 
been  brought  to  a  sense  of  the  errors  of  their  ways  and  turned 
from  darkness  to  light;  and  some  who  were  insensible  to  their 
obligation  to  enter  into  the  state  of  covenant  with  God ;  appointed 
in  the  membership  of  his  Church  in  which  he  is  pleased  to  confer 
a  title  to  the  blessings  of  Christ's  mediation  have  been  induced 
no  longer  to  delay  thus  to  seek  the  Lord  in  the  way  in  which  he 
has  promised  to  be  found ;  that  some,  who,  though  united  to  the 
Church  of  Christ,  yet  destitute  of  the  Spirit,  and  thus  that  of 
union  with  him  by  a  true  and  living  faith,  whereby  alone  the 
privileges  of  his  covenant  can  be  secured,  have  been  brought  sin- 
cerely to  cherish,  and  consistently  to  profess,  that  faith;  that 
some,  heretofore  careless  in  the  great  duty  of  serving  God  in  his 
house,  and  at  his  altar,  have  been  induced  to  be  so  no  more,  and 
have  found  both  improvement  and  delight  in  thus  coming  before 
his  presence;  that  some  distracted  by  the  almost  infinite  variety 
of  forms  under  which  are  assumed  the  holy  epithets  of  the  reli- 
gion and  Church  of  the  Redeemer  have  found  a  refuge  in  the 
primitive  and  evangelical  order  and  worship,  which  drawn  from 
the  Bible  are  so  lucidly  exhibited  in  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer ; 
that  some,  carried  away  by  the  false  doctrines  which  so  lament- 
ably prevail,  and  which  acquire  a  fictitious  value  by  pretended 
support  from  the  inspired  oracles,  have  been  brought  to  the 
knowledge  and  profession  of  the  true  faith,  by  the  understanding 
of  those  oracles,  imparted  by  a  sound  and  pure  branch  of  that 
"Church  of  the  Living  God,"  which  he  has  been  pleased  to  con- 
stitute the  pillar  and  ground  of  the  truth. 


298  Fourteenth  Annual  Report.  [1824 


By  the  grace  of  God  we  may  humbly  hope  that  some  such 
good  has  attended  our  exertions.  Let  us  pray  that  by  the  same 
grace  we  may  continue  the  honoured  instruments  of  promoting 
such  good ;  and  that  to  this  end  the  means  may  be  wilHngly  and 
liberally  supplied,  and  those  who  are  intrusted  with  them  be 
enabled  to  improve  them  faithfully  and  effectually. 

In  recommending  our  Society  to  continued  and  increased  pat- 
ronage, we  feel  honoured  in  presenting  it,  not  as  a  principal  insti- 
tution, but  as  an  auxiliar)'  to  one  which  has  God  himself  for  its 
Founder  and  Head,  according  fully  to  the  evangelical  doctrine, 
that  the  Church  is  the  great  Society  to  which  the  divine  author 
of  our  religion  has  committed  the  momentous  trust  of  preserving 
and  disseminating  his  revealed  truth  and  securing  its  practical 
influence  in  the  world,  we  rejoice  in  that  feature  of  our  Society 
whereby  it  is  in  fact  a  part  of  the  Church,  recognizing  her  princi- 
ples of  unity  in  doctrine,  ministry,  sacraments  and  worship,  and 
thus  being  her  legitimate  agent  in  prosecuting  the  great  work  for 
which  she  is  chartered  by  God  himself. 

In  strengthening  therefore  the  hands  and  enlarging  the  useful- 
ness of  such  institutions  Christians  manifest  their  attachment  to 
that  true  Bible  cause  which  embraces,  in  its  primitive  and  evan- 
gelical purity,  the  religion  of  the  Bible. 

Thus,  too,  in  accordance  with  the  genuine  principles  of  that 
religion,  they  contribute  to  preserve  the  unity,  promote  the  pros- 
perity, and  enlarge  the  borders  of  that  great  divine  institution, 
which  preserves  and  disseminates  the  knowledge  of  Scriptural 
truth,  and  affords  to  man  the  appointed  means  of  instruction, 
grace  and  salvation. 

Signed  by  order  of  the  Board. 

Tho.  Lyell,  Chairman. 
Attested:   Benj.  T.  Onderdonk,  Sec'ry. 

New  York,  Feb.  25,  1824. 

On  February  4,  1824,  the  sum  of  $500  was  appropriated  for 
the  ensuing  year  for  the  purchase  of  Bibles  and  Prayer  Books. 
On  March  2nd,  the  Annual  Meeting  was  held  in  Trinity  Church, 
when  the  fourteenth  Annual  Report  was  read  and  adopted  and 
the  following  Managers  elected : 

Matthew  Clarkson,  Gulian  Ludlow,  John  Onderdonk,  Isaac 
Carow,  John   Slidell,   Richard  Whiley,   Henry   Rogers,   Henry 


1824]  Letter  from  Rev.  H.  Anthon.  299 

McFarlan,  George  Dominick,  Richard  Piatt.     (Folio  112.) 

The  development  of  the  work  of  the  Society  throughout  the 
State  cannot  be  fully  traced,  for  only  occasionally  did  they  send 
any  notice  of  it  to  the  diocesan  paper,  The  Christian  Journal.  In 
that  same  periodical  will  be  found  also  the  brief  reports  of  many 
Prayer  Book  Societies  in  various  parts  of  the  United  States.  A 
condensed  notice  of  the  active  Society  in  Central  New  York  will 
be  read  with  pleasure :  The  fourth  anniversary  of  the  Bible  and 
Common  Prayer  Book  Society  of  the  central  part  of  the  State 
was  held  in  Trinity  Church,  Utica,  on  Wednesday,  September 
22,  1824.  It  had  distributed  28  Bibles  and  358  Prayer  Books, 
and  sold,  at  moderate  prices,  95  Prayer  Books,  a  total  of  481 
volumes  for  the  year.  The  effort  to  obtain  $500  so  as  to  secure 
an  additional  gift  of  that  amount  has  resulted  in  a  subscription 

of  $485.93- 

Judge  Miller,  of  Utica,  was  re-elected  President,  Mr.  Bost- 
wick,  ist  Vice  President,  the  Rev.  L.  Bush,  2d  Vice  President, 
the  Hon.  N.  Williams,  Treasurer,  and  the  Rev.  Henry  Anthon, 
Secretary.^ 

The  rector  of  Trinity  Church,  Utica,  and  laymen  in  that  con- 
gregation were  the  wise  and  active  men  who  stimulated  the  zeal 
of  others  and  by  their  example  and  influence  made  others  as 
earnest  and  untiring  as  they  were. 

These  letters  of  Mr.  Anthon  written  to  the  Bishop  in  Europe 
show  his  method  of  strengthening  the  Society. 

Utica,  Sept.  28,  1824. 
A  considerable  portion  of  my  time  this  year  has  been  occupied 
in  soliciting  subscriptions  as  the  agent  of  the  Bible  &  P.  Book 
Society  of  the  Central  Part  of  this  State  with  the  view  of  securing 
the  grant  of  $500,  which  you  were  so  good  as  to  assure  us  of 
previous  to  your  departure.  I  accompany  this  with  a  newspaper 
which  contains  an  account  of  our  late  anniversary  &  the  Report 
of  the  Board  of  Managers.  Subscriptions  have  been  obtained  to 
the  amount  of  $465  (more  that  2-3  of  which  have  been  paid), 
which  with  the  sums  already  in  the  treasury  will  enable  us  to 
comply  with  the  conditions  of  grant H.  Anthon. 


I.     For  a  full  report  see  pp.  349,  350,  The  Christian  Journal,  November, 
1824.     Volume  VIII.  No.  11. 


300  Address  by  the  Auxiliary.  [1824 

The  Bible  &  Prayer  Book  Society  of  the  Central  part  of  the 
State  will  hold  their  annual  meeting  on  the  24th  at  Oxford.  Will 
it  be  in  your  power,  Dear  Sir,  before  the  meeting  to  promise  the 
Society  through  me,  some  aid  for  our  permanent  fund?  I  need 
not  say  how  greatly  such  promise  would  encourage  us.  We 
have  not  been  wanting  in  our  exertions  this  year.  We  have  dis- 
tributed &  sold  38  Bibles  &  410  Prayer  Books  since  our  last 
anniversary,  making  in  the  whole  nearly  1,200  volumes  which 
we  have  distributed. 

The  Auxiliary  in  the  fall  of  1824,  mindful  of  their  duty  in 
making  the  Bible  and  Prayer  Book  the  companion  and  guide  of 
every  one,  perceived  that  persons  unwilling  to  receive  the  books 
as  gifts  were  deterred  from  buying  them  owing  to  their  high 
price. 

The  Board  of  Managers  in  their  address  set  forth  the  aims  of 
the  Society  with  a  direct  simplicity  which  must  have  won  many 
adherents  to  its  cause. 

Accompanying  the  address  were  specimen  pages  of  the  pro- 
posed cheaper  editions  of  the  Bible  and  Prayer  Book. 

.\ddress. 

The  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and 
Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  deeply  impressed  with  the  im- 
portance of  contributing  to  the  more  general  diffusion  of  relig- 
ious knowledge,  have  authorized  the  undersigned  to  call  the 
attention  of  their  fellow  Episcopalians  throughout  the  United 
States  to  the  following  address : 

The  Society  is  in  possession  of  a  set  of  stereotype  plates  for 
the  Bible,  of  an  uncommonly  clear  and  beautiful  type,  which, 
although  not  large,  is  easily  read  by  persons  far  advanced  in 
life.  It  is  also  in  possession  of  a  set  of  plates  for  the  Book  of 
Common  Prayer,  from  which  large  editions  of  that  work  have 
been  printed,  and  distributed. 

One  of  the  objects  intended  to  be  accomplished  by  the  purchase 
of  these  plates  was,  that  the  Society  might  become  the  source  of 
supply,  on  favourable  terms,  to  the  reverend  Clergy,  influential 
and  benevolent  laymen,  and  to  kindred  institutions  for  the  gratui- 
tous distribution  of  Bibles  and  Books  of  Common  Prayer.  From 
the  operation  of  causes  which  it  is  not  now  necessary  to  mention, 


1824]  Address  by  the  Auxiliary.  301 

no  very  efficient  effort  has  hitherto  been  made  to  accomplish  its 
original  views  in  relation  to  the  Bible.  In  the  opinion  of  the 
Board  of  Trustees,  the  time  has  arrived  when  such  an  effort  may 
be  made  with  a  reasonable  prospect  of  success ;  and  that  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  Society  will  now  warrant  the  attempt.  A 
copy  of  the  Bible,  printed  on  good  paper,  lettered,  and  bound  in 
sheep,  with  raised  backs,  can  be  furnished  at  85  cents;  and  on 
inferior  paper,  unlettered,  bound  in  sheep,  with  raised  backs,  at 
80  cents.  The  Book  of  Common  Prayer  can  be  furnished  at  30 
cents  per  copy.  This  price,  as  it  respects  the  Prayer  Book,  is  at 
the  prime  cost ;  and  as  it  respects  the  Bible,  is  at  an  advance  barely 
sufficient  to  compensate  for  ordinary  wear  and  tear  of  plates. 

When  Bible  Societies  were  first  instituted,  the  cheapest  rate  at 
which  the  Bible  could  be  furnished  was  considered  an  object  of 
primary  importance,  as  producing  the  greatest  amount  of  good 
by  the  use  of  limited  means.  But  experience,  it  is  believed,  has 
'  fully  demonstrated  the  impolicy  and  inutility  of  this  plan.  It  is 
in  accordance  with  a  law  of  our  nature,  to  undertake  the  perusal 
of  a  book  (even  if  that  book  be  the  Bible)  with  more  or  less  of 
indifference  if  it  present  to  us  an  uninviting  aspect,  both  in  its 
internal  and  external  appearance;  while  the  opposite  of  this  re- 
mark is  found  to  be  true,  when  we  sit  down  to  the  perusal  of  a 
work,  the  paper,  binding,  and  typographical  execution  of  which 
is  in  good  style,  such  a  work  will  not  only  be  read  with  greater 
avidity,  but  preserved  with  greater  care ;  and  has  a  specific  value, 
independent  of  its  contents,  which  the  possessor  fails  not  properly 
to  estimate.  Hence  it  is  that  the  British  and  Foreign,  and 
American  Bible  Societies,  now  issue,  for  gratuitous  distribution, 
volumes  much  superior  to  many  of  those  distributed  in  the 
infancy  of  Bible  Institutions :  and  this  Society,  proceeding  on  the 
same  principle,  has  printed  and  distributed  a  volume  in  all  re- 
spects desirable. 

The  very  extensive  circulation  which  has  been  given  to  our 
Book  of  Common  prayer  has  probably  made  you  acquainted  with 
its  style  of  binding,  &c.,  &c. ;  we  forbear,  therefore,  any  descrip- 
tion of  it. 

Should  you,  or  any  of  your  friends,  or  any  Society  with  which 
you  may  be  connected,  or  any  to  which  you  may  find  it  conven- 
ient to  communicate  the  information  herein  contained,  be  dis- 
posed to  order  either  Bibles  or  Prayer  Books,  or  both,  for  gratui- 


S02  Address  by  the  Auxiliary.  [1824 

tous  distribution,  a  line  addressed  to  the  Society's  Agent,  Mr. 
Thomas  N.  Stanford,  No.  99  Pearl  Street,  will  meet  with  prompt 
attention. 

It  might  seem  unnecessary,,  at  this  time  of  day,  to  urge  on  a 
Christian  public  the  importance  of  an  extensive  circulation  of  the 
Bible  and  Book  of  Common  Prayer — books  which  have  guided 
the  young,  and  solaced  the  aged,  in  generations  that  are  passed, 
and  will  continue  so  to  do  in  those  that  are  to  come.  Next  to  the 
faithful  labours  of  the  Ministry,  we  consider  the  distribution  of 
these  Books  as  the  most  effectual  means  of  circulating  the  truths 
of  the  Gospel;  and  even  philanthropists,  whose  only  object  is  the 
relief  of  human  misery,  will  most  effectually  promote  their  end, 
by  instilling  that  Christian  hope,  which  tends  to  alleviate  the 
many  sorrows  to  which  men  are  subjected.  Impelled  by  the 
force  of  these  considerations,  the  Board  of  Managers  cannot 
resist  making  a  forcible  appeal  to  your  benevolence  on  the  pres- 
ent occasion;  relying  with  the  utmost  confidence,  that  you  are 
disposed  to  assist  in  the  distribution  of  the  Bible  and  Book  of 
Common  Prayer,  and  by  so  doing  to  promote  an  object  calculated, 
under  the  blessing  of  God,  not  only  to  stem  the  torrent  of  vice, 
but  to  direct  the  penitent  to  the  visible  society  and  Church  of 
God  upon  earth,  where  he  cannot  only  receive  the  instruction  of 
its  Ministry,  but  also  participate  in  those  sacraments  and  ordi- 
nances by  which  it  hath  pleased  God,  in  his  infinite  mercy,  to 
carry  on  the  operation  of  his  grace.  The  penitent  believer  re- 
quires not  only  to  be  informed  of  divine  truths,  but  also  to  be 
built  up  in  his  most  holy  faith,  and,  by  the  use  of  the  means  of 
grace,  made  meet  for  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light,  and 
therefore  is  it,  that  God  has  established  a  visible  Church,  and 
hath,  in  his  holy  Scriptures,  commanded  all  men  everywhere  to 
enter  the  same;  and  therefore  is  it,  that  he  hath  instituted  and 
ordained  holy  sacraments  and  ordinances  as  pledges  of  his  love, 
and  an  order  of  men  to  administer  the  same.  It  is  not  only  nec- 
essary that  the  humble  penitent  should  know  the  truth,  but  also 
that  he  should  become  united  to  that  visible  society  which  has 
been  emphatically  called  the  pillar  and  ground  of  the  truth.  The 
position  is  practically,  if  not  theoretically,  admitted  by  all  de- 
nominations of  Christians;  witness  the  vigorous  and  zealous 
exertions  made  by  all  in  the  cause  of  missions,  whereby  the  great 
doctrines  and  truths  of  the  Gospel  are  explained  and  enforced. 


1824]  Address  by  the  Auxiliary.  303 

and  its  sacraments  and  ordinances  administered  to  the  people; 
and  it  is  altogether  in  accordance  with  the  injunction  of  our 
blessed  Saviour  to  his  apostles — "Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  teach- 
ing and  baptizing  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the 
Holy  Ghost;  and  I  will  be  with  you  always,  even  unto  the  end 
of  the  world."  The  faithful  labours  of  a  pious  ministry,  in 
teaching  and  administering  the  sacraments  of  the  Church,  are 
thus  made  the  divinely  constituted,  and  of  course  the  most  effic- 
ient means  of  diflfusing  religious  knowledge,  and  of  discounten- 
ancing and  repressing  erroneous  views  and  opinions. 

That  branch  of  the  visible  Church  to  which  we  have  the  happi- 
ness to  belong,  is  so  blessed  in  its  ministry,  liturgy,  sacraments, 
and  ordinances,  that  it  would  seem  an  indispensable  duty,  not 
only  to  be  instrumental  in  the  distribution  of  the  Bible,  but  also 
in  extending  the  privileges  which  that  primitive  and  Apostolic 
Church  holds  out  to  its  members.  It  possesses  a  ministry  whose 
validity  is  admitted ;  a  liturgy  chaste,  fervent,  and  devout ;  and 
its  views  of  Scripture  doctrine  are  sober,  rational,  and  consistent. 

We  have  been  occasionally  accused  of  opposing  what  has  been 
emphatically  called  the  Bible  cause,  when  all  our  labours  and 
views  have  been  directed  to  what  we  conceive  the  best  and  most 
judicious  method  of  advancing  that  cause;  for  we  conceive  that, 
in  every  method  for  advancing  God's  cause,  and  in  all  societies 
instituted  for  the  purpose,  the  Christian  Church  should  not  be 
thrown  wholly  out  of  view,  but  should  be  in  some  measure  recog- 
nized, and  the  advantages  of  communion  with  it  set  forth  and 
declared.  The  Bible  cause,  we  conceive,  cannot  also  be  better 
promoted  than  by  distributing,  not  only  the  Bible,  but  the  Prayer 
Book ;  for  the  latter  volume  has  approved  itself  to  the  under- 
standing of  all  denominations,  as  a  correct  summary  of  Christian 
doctrine;  and  large  portions  of  the  Bible  occupy  its  pages;  so 
that  the  mere  reader  of  the  Prayer  Book  is  instructed  in  Bible 
truths.  But  this  is  not  all ;  the  wide  circulation  of  the  Book  of 
Common  Prayer  has  established,  and  will  tend  to  the  establish- 
ment of  a  Church  of  God,  in  which  the  Bible  is  read  to  the  peo- 
ple; and  read  to  them,  not  only  from  the  Bible  itself,  but  also 
large  portions  of  it  from  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer ;  and  thus 
many  who  are  destitute  of  the  Bible,  will  still  be  enabled  to  hear 
its  sacred  tniths.  For  it  must  be  admitted,  and  we  are  free  to 
acknowledge,  that  it  is  not  the  mere  circulation  of  books  printed 
and  bound,  by  which  the  great  cause  is  to  be  promoted — for  we 


304  Ninth  Auxiliary  Meeting.  [1825 

lament  that  the  Bible  often  remains  a  sealed  book :  but  it  is  by  the 
proper  reception  of  the  truth,  and  the  most  likely  way  of  impress- 
ing it  upon  the  heart.  Should  any  opportunity  present  itself,  in 
your  vicinity,  for  the  distribution  of  the  Bible  or  Prayer  Book, 
we  solicit  your  speedy  application  to  our  Agent,  so  that  the  wants 
of  all  persons  standing  in  need  of  this  most  important  charity, 
may  be  readily  supplied. 

While  the  Board  of  Managers,  in  addition  to  their  pecuniary 
aid  and  that  of  their  patrons,  are  still  willing  to  devote  them- 
selves, with  renewed  vigour,  to  the  important  objects  of  the 
Society,  they  feel  confident  that  no  support  that  you  can  render 
them  will  be  withheld ;  and  they  have  only  now  to  make  one  more 
request,  and  it  is  made  with  no  small  degree  of  earnestness,  that 
all  those  who  shall  interest  themselves  in  their  behalf,  or  who 
shall  favour  them  with  pecuniary  support,  would  superadd  thereto 
their  fervent  prayers,  that  the  blessing  of  God  may  rest  on  their 
exertions  and  contributions. 

We  have  the  honour  to  be,  very  respectfully, 
Your  obedient  servants, 

Wm.   E.  Dunscomb. 

Floyd  Smith. 

C.  N.  S.  Rowland.^ 

The  result  of  this  appeal  is  given  in  this  account  of  its  meeting 
in  January,  1825,  and  the  full  report  then  made. 

The  Ninth  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible 
and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  was  held  in  St.  Paul's  Chapel, 
on  Tuesday,  January  25th,  1825,  at  seven  o'clock  p.  m.,  William 
E.  Dunscomb,  Esq.,  President  of  the  Society,  in  the  Chair,  and 
Charles  Keeler,  Secretary. 

The  Ninth  Annual  Report  of  the  Board  of  Managers  was 
read  by  Mr.  Floyd  Smith;  when  the  following  resolutions  were 
unanimously  adopted : 

On  motion  of  the  Rev.  Benjamin  T.  Onderdonk,  Resolved, 
that  the  Society  accept  with  great  satisfaction,  the  Report  of  the 
Board  of  Managers,  which  contains  the  gratifying  intelligence  of 
its  continued  prosperity. 


I.  An  Address  to  Episcopalians  in  the  United  States  from  the  Board  of 
Managers  of  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  So- 
ciety, on  the  subject  of  Distributing  the  Bible  and  Book  of  Common  Prayer. 
November,  1824.  New  York:  Printed  by  T.  and  J.  Swords,  No.  99  Pearl 
Street.    1824. 


1825]  Ninth  Auxiliary  Report.  305 

On  motion  of  the  Rev.  William  Richmond,  Resolved,  that  the 
Society  will  continue  to  press  forward  in  the  good  cause  they 
have  in  hand,  relying  firmly  on  the  Divine  assistance,  and  the 
cordial  and  generous  aid  of  their  Christian  brethren. 

On  motion  of  the  Rev.  Jonathan  M.  Wainwright,  D.D.,  Re- 
solved, that  the  thanks  of  this  Society  be  presented  to  the  Board 
of  Managers,  for  the  prudence  and  zeal  with  which  they  have 
conducted  the  affairs  of  the  institution. 

On  motion  of  the  Rev.  John  Sellon,  Resolved,  that  the  Annual 
Report,  together  with  the  proceedings  of  this  meeting,  be  pub- 
lished, under  the  direction  of  the  Board  of  Managers. 

The  Society  then  proceeded  to  elect  a  Board  of  Managers  for 
the  ensuing  year;  and  the  following  gentlemen  were  declared 
by  the  inspectors  to  be  duly  elected,  viz. — 

William  E.  Dunscomb,  President. 

J.  Smyth  Rogers,  M.D,,  ist  Vice  President. 

John  Watts,  Jun.,  M.D.,  2nd  Vice  President. 

John  J.  Lambert,  3rd  Vice  President. 

Charles  W.  Sandford,  Corresponding  Secretary. 

Charles  Keeler,  Recording  Secretary, 

Floyd  Smith,  Treasurer. 

Thomas  N.  Stanford,  Agent. 

Managers : — Luther  Bradish,  J.  Lawrence  Moore,  Henry  Bar- 
clay, Henry  Becker,  Charles  Nichols,  D.  A.  Cushman,  William 
H.  Harison,  Benjamin  M.  Brown,  Peter  Kean,  John  W.  Kear- 
ney, C.  N.  S.  Rowland,  James  F.  Depeyster,  Robert  Hyslop, 
George  Jones,  Thomas  T.  Groshon,  Philip  Rhinelander,  Jun., 
Richard  Oakley,  Andrew  Hamersley,  M.D. 

Ninth  Auxiliary  Report. 

Being  well  convinced  that  the  mere  distribution  of  volumes, 
however  important  in  itself,  can  never  be  admitted  as  a  sufficient 
test  of  the  usefulness  of  this,  or  any  similar  institution,  the 
Board  have  anxiously  sought  those  modes  of  distribution  which 
not  only  place  them  in  the  hands  of  the  poor  and  destitute,  but 
with  the  most  certainty  ensure  their  diligent  perusal.  For  this 
purpose,  when  appropriations  of  books  have  been  made  for  a 
particular  congregation,  or  district  of  country,  their  distribution 
has  been  confided  to  the  settled  Clergyman,  or  Missionary,  or 
to  some  judicious  Layman,  who  was  best  acquainted  with  the 
circumstances  of  the  individuals  whose  wants  it  was  our  intention 
(20) 


306  Ninth  Auxiliary  Report,  [1825 

to  supply ;  when  to  the  seamen  and  mariners  of  our  ships  of  war^ 
Qf  naval  depots,  to  their  chaplains;  when  to  those  of  the  mer- 
chant service,  to  the  master  or  supercargo;  when  for  indigent 
individuals  generally,  to  our  patrons  and  subscribers ;  and  when 
to  the  wretched  inmates  of  our  prisons  and  hospitals,  to  the  ven- 
erable and  pious  chaplain^  of  these  institutions.  And  here  it 
would  be  an  act  of  injustice  not  to  acknowledge  the  disinterest- 
edness of  this  exemplary  servant  of  the  cross,  who,  although  not 
a^n  Episcopalian,  has  most  cheerfully  consented  to  become  the 
almoner  of  our  bounty  among  the  various  individuals  who,  from 
time  to  time,  are  the  objects  of  his  pastoral  care.  Thus,  in  all 
cases,  we  have  steadily  borne  in  mind  the  important  distinction 
between  the  mere  issuing  of  our  volumes,  and  the  religious  and 
moral  benefits  to  be  derived  from  their  diligent  and  faithful  use. 
With  this  brief  explanation  of  the  views  which  have  guided  us 
in  the  discharge  of  a  very  essential  part  of  our  duty,  we  proceed 
to  exhibit  a  detailed  statement  of  our  operations  during  the  past 
year. 

On  Sunday  evening,  the  first  of  February  last,  the  annual 
address  was  delivered  in  Grace  Church,  by  the  Rev.  Cornelius 
R.  Duffie,  Rector  of  St.  Thomas's  Church,  and  formerly  Senior 
Vice  President  of  the  Society.  It  is  due  to  our  reverend  friend 
and  fellow  labourer  in  this  good  cause,  to  take  this  occasion  to 
state,  that  he  was  among  the  projectors  of  this  Society,  and  has 
given  it  the  aid  of  a  uniform,  enlightened,  and  efficient  support, 
as  one  of  its  officers,  until  a  short  time  previous  to  his  ordina- 
tion, when  he  resigned  his  station  in  our  Board,  which,  by  a 
provision  of  our  act  of  incorporation,  is  required  to  be  composed 
of  laymen  only.  A  new  opportunity,  however,  was  then  afforded 
to  him  of  manifesting  his  unabated  interest  in  its  affairs ;  and  to 
us  of  at  once  evincing  our  sense  of  former  services,  and  indulg- 
ing the  strongest  feelings  of  personal  attachment,  by  his  accept- 
ance of  our  unanimous  invitation  to  deliver  the  eighth  annual 
address. 

The  sudden  and  intense  coldness  of  the  night  appointed  for 
its  delivery,  occasioned  a  small  audience;  and  this,  added  to  the 
circumstances,  that  a  collection  had  been  that  day  made  in  Grace 
Church  for  its  deservedly  popular  Charity  School,  as  also  in  the 
Wall  Street  Church,  on  the  same  evening,  for  the  benefit  of  the 

1.    The  Rev.  John  Stanford. 


1825]  Ninth  Auxiliary  Report.  307 

Orphan  Asylum,  very  materially  disappointed  the  wishes  and 
expectations  we  had  formed. 

The  Board  were  not  unmindful  of  their  duty  to  take  proper 
measures  to  increase  the  resources  of  the  Society. 

Almost  at  the  very  moment,  however,  when  our  plans,  thus 
formed  for  augmenting  the  number  of  our  annual  and  life  sub- 
scribers were  ready  to  be  put  in  operation,  the  "House  of 
Refuge,"  an  object  which  enlisted  the  purest  feelings  which  could 
influence  the  Christian,  the  philanthropist,  and  the  real  patriot, 
presented  its  claims  to  public  patronage.  The  Board  deeply 
regretted  this  unexpected  collision,  but  they  had  progressed  too 
far  in  their  arrangements  to  recede,  without  the  entire  abandon- 
ment of  all  the  pecuniary  advantages  which  they  had  anticipated : 
and  after  due  deliberation  it  was  determined  to  proceed.  The 
application,  although  not  successful  to  the  extent  of  our  hopes, 
resulted  in  the  addition  of  thirty-eight  names  to  our  annual  sub- 
scription list. 

The  measures  hitherto  pursued  by  the  Treasurer  have  imparted 
such  a  character  of  stability  to  our  fiscal  concerns  as  to  preclude 
the  fear  of  future  embarrassment,  so  long  as  the  same  system  is 
faithfully  adhered  to,  and  the  Society  enjoys  a  reasonable  share 
of  the  bounty  of  its  friends. 

The  sum  of  $791.61,  including  the  balance  of  last  year,  and 
exclusive  of  the  publication  and  sale,  at  prime  cost,  of  1,375 
Prayer  Books,  have  been  received  into  the  Treasury,  to  the 
credit  of  the  disposable  fund;  and  $822.26  have  been  expended 
in  incidental  expenses  and  the  publication  of  books;  leaving  a 
balance  due  the  Treasurer  of  $30.66. 

By  this  statement,  our  patrons  will  perceive  that  our  distribu- 
tions have  not  only  kept  pace  with  our  present  means,  but  antici- 
pated their  future  benefactions. 

The  "permanent  fund"  has  been  augmented,  during  the  past 
year,  from  $652.13,  to  ^yyy.Gy,  by  life  subscriptions  and  the 
accumulation  of  interest.  Of  this  sum  $700  is  out  at  interest  at 
7  per  cent.,  payable  quarterly ;  the  balance  is  in  private  and  safe 
hands,  at  6  per  cent.  The  amount  of  life  subscriptions  and  inter- 
est is  invested  the  day  it  is  received,  in  such  way  as  to  entitle  it 
to  an  interest  of  6  per  cent  per  annum. 

The  Society's  means  of  gratuitous  operation  for  the  ensuing 
year  will  be  the  whole  amount  of  subscriptions  for  the  year  1824, 
which  are  now  due  and  collectible;  and  the  amount  which  may 


308  Ninth  Auxiliary  Report.  [1825 

be  received  when  the  Ninth  Annual  Address  is  delivered. 

The  Agent,  in  his  annual  report  to  the  Board,  has  given  such 
a  minute  and  satisfactory  account  of  his  department,  that  we 
submit  a  summary  of  it  for  the  gratification  of  our  patrons. 

Summary  of  the  gratuitous  distributions  of  the  Auxiliary  New 
York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  from  January 
28th,  1824,  to  January  14th,  1825. 

To  zi'liom  delivered.  Bibles.     P.  B. 

To  the  Charity  School  of  Grace  Church,  New  York.  50 

To  the  Sunday  Schools  in  connection  with  the  New 
York  Protestant  Episcopal  Sunday  School 
Society    22        119 

To  other  Sunday  Schools  in  the  city  and  country ...  54 

To  the  Orphan   Asylum,    Alms   House,   Hospital, 

State  Prison,  &c.,  &c 12       104 

To  the  crews  of  several  ships 16         74 

To  Missionaries  in  the  northern  and  western  parts 

of  the  State 321 

To  clergymen  residing  in  the  States  of  Vermont, 
Connecticut,  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Pennsyl- 
vania, Ohio,  Louisiana,  Mississippi,  and  Ter- 
ritory of  Michigan 10       284 

To  the  clergy  residing  in  this  city 14         88 

To  the  Rev.  William  A.  Clark,  for  the  use  of  "All 

Saints'  Church,"  New  York 50 

To  the  Domestic  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society, 
an  appropriation  forwarded  by  direction  of  its 
Corresponding  Secretary,  to  Green  Bay,  Mich- 
igan Territory icx) 

To  a  gentleman  of  New  York,  for  distribution  in 

New  Orleans 30 

Delivered  to  members  and  subscribers   by  orders 

from  the  Treasurer 29         64 

To  several  laymen  residing  in  New  York,  Pennsyl- 
vania, Ohio,  Tennessee,  and  Kentucky,  for 
distribution    10       109 

To  Emigrants  going  to  Hayti 15         81 

To  Soldiers  in  Garrison  at  New  York 3         13 

131     1541 


1825]  Ninth  Auxiliary  Report.  309 

Being  a  total  of  131  Bibles,  and  1,541  Prayer  Books,  gratu- 
itously distributed;  and  sales  have  been  effected  to  the  number 
of  1,375  Prayer  Books,  to  other  Societies,  and  to  clergymen  and 
laymen.  Total  of  sales  and  distributions  during  the  present 
year,  131  Bibles,  and  2,916  Prayer  Books.  Grand  total  of  sales 
and  distributions  since  the  formation  of  the  Society,  in  18 16,  is 
3,750  Bibles,  and  26,008  Prayer  Books,  or  29,758  volumes. 

Thomas  N.  Stanford,  Agent. 

New  York,  January  17th,  1825. 

Our  stereotype  plates  of  both  the  Bible  and  Book  of  Common 
Prayer,  have  been  ordered  to  be  read  and  corrected  by  the  Stand- 
ard copy  of  the  Bible  and  Prayer  Book,  recently  adopted  by  the 
General  Convention  of  our  Church,  the  former  of  which  was 
purchased  by,  and  the  latter  presented  to,  the  Board. 

Near  the  close  of  this  year,  the  Board  gave  authority  to  a 
committee,  to  transmit  to  the  reverend  clergy,  influential  laymen, 
and  to  institutions  similar  to  our  own,  throughout  the  United 
States,  an  address  on  the  subject  of  the  distribution  of  the  Bible 
and  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  which  will  constitute  a  part  of 
this  report,  in  the  form  of  an  appendix.  In  anticipation  of  the 
increased  demand  which  this  measure  is  expected  to  produce,  an 
edition  of  1,000  copies  of  the  Bible  has  been  ordered  to  be 
printed  from  our  plates,  and  the  number  of  Prayer  Books  usually 
kept  in  our  depository  to  be  augmented.  The  Board  indulge  the 
hope,  that  in  this  way  this  Society  will  become  more  generally, 
than  it  has  hitherto  been,  the  source  of  supply  to  many  similar, 
but  less  favourably  circumstanced  institutions,  and  to  benevolent 
individuals  throughout  the  country,  who  may  purchase  for  gra- 
tuitous distribution,  on  more  advantageous  terms  than  they 
could  otherwise  enjoy. 

The  Board  continue  to  receive  the  cordial  acknowledgments 
of  the  Clergy,  and  particularly  of  those  residing  at  a  distance, 
for  the  good  effected  by  the  operations  of  this  Society.  And 
they  think  it  not  improper  to  mention  one  fact,  which  has  been 
communicated  to  them,  and  which,  in  their  judgment,  furnishes 
a  striking  and  practical  commentary  upon  the  peculiar  adapta- 
tion of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  as  a  book  of  devotion  for 
general  use.  The  reverend  Chaplain  of  the  Navy  Yard,  in  this 
port,  informs  us  that  the  seamen  and  mariners  of  our  ships  of 


810  Ninth  Auxiliary  Report.  [1825 

war,  but  few  of  whom  have  been  accustomed  to  the  services  of 
our  Church  in  early  Hfe,  manifest  a  strong  and  general  disposi- 
tion to  take  with  them  a  copy  of  that  work ;  and  have  frequently 
expressed  to  him  their  sense  of  its  value  as  a  book  of  devotion 
and  instruction.  The  same  fact  has  heretofore  been  stated  as  it 
regards  the  seamen  of  the  merchant  service.  To  gratify  this 
preference,  as  well  as  to  contribute  to  the  moral  and  spiritual 
improvement  of  this  valuable,  but  hitherto  much  neglected  por- 
tion of  our  fellow  men,  the  Board  have  made  frequent  donations 
to  the  "Port  Society"  of  this  city,  and  to  the  Chaplains  and  other 
officers  of  the  Navy,  for  the  use  of  the  seamen  under  their  charge 
and  authority. 

We  quote  the  language  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Miller  in  his  recent 
and  admirable  lecture  on  the  "utility  and  importance  of  creeds 
and  confessions."  And  it  must  afford  unfeigned  satisfaction  to 
Episcopalians,  who  have  been  so  long  subjected  to  popular  oppro- 
brium, and  exposed  themselves  to  denunciation,  by  adhering  to, 
and  advocating,  "through  good  report  and  through  evil  report," 
those  principles  and  peculiarities  which  distinguish  them  from 
other  denominations,  to  listen  to  the  commendatory  language  of 
a  learned  and  pious  divine  of  another  communion ;  who,  without 
doubt,  like  themselves,  perceives,  in  the  unchecked  operation  of 
the  latitudinarian  principles  of  the  present  day,  the  future  pros- 
tration of  all  those  characteristics  which  distinguish  truth  from 
error.  These  better  views,  which  are  now  gaining  ground,  of 
the  true  nature  of  Christian  charity  (in  opposition  to  that  spuri- 
ous liberality  which  would  confound  all  just  distinctions,  and 
result  in  the  ultimate  abandonment  of  truth),  furnish  a  new 
motive  to  Episcopalians  to  regard  the  apostolic  injunction,  to 
"hold  fast  the  profession  of  their  faith  without  wavering,"  and 
"to  contend  earnestly  for  that  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints" ; 
and,  by  their  uniform  support  of  this  Society,  to  extend  that  sys- 
tem of  faith,  order  of  ministry,  and  mode  of  worship,  which 
commend  themselves  to  their  reason,  intelligence,  and  piety,  as 
the  most  pure,  primitive  and  apostolic.  Thus  doing,  they  will 
enjoy  the  rich  reward  of  the  approbation  of  their  own  conscience, 
and  the  blessing  of  the  Divine  Head  of  the  Church.^ 

I,  The  Ninth  Annual  Report  of  the  Managers  of  the  Auxiliary  New 
York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society.  New  York:  Printed  by  T. 
and  J.  Swords,  No.  99  Pearl  Street.     1825. 


1825]  Fifteenth  Annual  Report.  311 

The  Annual  Meeting  of  the  New  York  Bible  and  Common 
Prayer  Book  Society  was  held  March  i,  1825,  when  the  Fif- 
teenth Annual  Report  was  read  and  approved  and  the  following 
managers  elected : 

Matthew  Clarkson,  Gulian  Ludlow,  John  Onderdonk,  Isaac 
Carow,  John  Sliddl,  Richard  Whiley,  Henry  Rogers,  Henry 
McFarlan,  George  Dominick,  Richard  Piatt.     (Folio  117.) 

The  Board  of  Managers  of  the  New  York  Bible  and  Common 
Prayer  Book  Society  now  respectfully  present  to  their  constitu- 
ents their 

Fifteenth  Annual  Report. 

This  they  would  do  with  a  devout  sense  of  giatlUide  to  the 
Great  Head  of  the  Church,  that  they  have  been  suffered  to  con- 
tinue the  instrument  for  contributing  in  part  to  the  momentous 
objects  for  which  that  Church  was  constituted  "the  pillar  and 
ground  of  the  truth,"  and  the  great  means  of  promoting  the 
interests  of  the  Gospel.  The  Board  feels  continually  increasing 
confidence  that  institutions  like  theirs,  held  together  by  the  truly 
evangelical  bond  of  the  principles  and  order  of  the  purest  sections 
of  the  Catholic  Church,  are  the  most  legitimate  and  the  most 
efficient  means  of  spreading  the  knowledge  and  due  influence  of 
the  religion  of  the  Cross. 

They  rejoice  in  being  engaged  in  that  genuine  Bible  cause 
which  consists  in  spreading  that  religion  in  its  integrity  and 
purity  and  in  a  way  most  consistent  with  them.  That  that  relig- 
ion is,  in  the  present  day,  much  misunderstood,  is  obvious  to 
every  one  whose  view  of  the  spiritual  character  of  the  times  is 
impartial,  and  formed  under  the  proper  influence  of  evangelical 
principles  from  causes  which  need  not  now  be  detailed,  the  indif- 
ference so  natural  to  the  carnal  mind  on  the  subject  of  religious 
faith  and  practice  is  gaining  a  fearful  ascendency,  and  threaten- 
ing almost  the  existence  of  that  true  Bible  religion  which  God 
gave  us  for  our  best  temporal  and  eternal  interests,  and  the 
maintenance  and  promulgation  of  which  he  committed  to  his 
holy  Church. 

Good  men,  who  although  differing  in  their  views  of  what  is 
evangelical  truth,  yet  agreeing  that  it  is  something  definite,  and 
not  so  variable  as  to  be  whatever  human  fancy  may  wish  it,  or 
so  vague  as  to  embrace  theories  of  every  fancy  are  becoming 


312  Fifteenth  Annual  Report.  [1825 

more  and  more  sensible,  that  as  the  Bible  can,  in  fact,  never  go 
without  accompanying  comments  and  explanations;  so  care 
should  be  taken  that  these  be  such  as  only  do  justice  to  that 
sacred  volume,  and  lead  to  a  correct  understanding  of  its  con- 
tents. We  rejoice  in  the  conviction  that  our  Society  contributes 
to  this  end  both  by  the  principle  on  which  it  is  organized  and 
the  mode  of  its  operations. 

It  is  identified  with  a  sound  branch  of  the  Catholic  Church, 
and  thus  has  a  direct  tendency  to  preserve  and  strengthen  that 
truly  evangelical  unity  of  spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace,  which  is 
characterized  by  the  faith  of  the  Gospel  and  by  the  principles  of 
ecclesiastical  order  which  the  Gospel  prescribes. 

The  means  we  use  to  advance  the  cause  of  Christ  are,  first, 
the  distribution  of  the  Bible,  the  charter  of  our  salvation,  and 
the  only  genuine  source  of  religious  faith  and  duty,  and  in  as 
much  as  the  distribution  of  the  Bible  will  in  fact  be  always  ac- 
companied with  efforts  tending  to  a  certain  understanding  of  its 
contents,  we  wish  to  give  a  proper  direction  to  this  invaluable 
attendant  on  the  circulation  of  the  Scriptures,  and  this  cannot 
be  better  done  than  by  disseminating  that  volume  next  in  value 
to  the  Bible  which  gives  a  faithful  digest  of  its  truths  in  creeds 
and  articles  of  acknowledged  evangelical  purity;  which  contains 
a  literal  transcript  of  many  of  the  most  important  portions  of 
the  Bible ;  which  incorporates  the  Bible  system  of  faith  and 
practice,  with  offices  of  devotion,  which  for  every  qualification 
of  evangelical  worship,  are  unsurpassed  in  any  language,  which 
thus  presents  the  religion  of  the  Bible  in  a  form  the  best  calcu- 
lated to  arrest  the  attention,  interest  the  feelings,  and  influence 
the  heart  and  life;  which  exhibits  the  primitive  and  evangelical 
characteristics  of  that  Church  which  God  established  for  pre- 
serving and  disseminating  his  true  religion  and  to  be  the  channel 
of  his  grace  and  mercy  to  a  fallen  world,  and  which  has  often 
been  the  successful  incipient  means  of  permanently  establishing 
a  branch  of  that  Church,  which  lends  to  the  great  and  precious 
truths  of  the  Gospel  the  powerful  and  only  truly  effectual  aid 
and  support  of  perpetually  presenting  those  truths  before  its 
members,  by  indispensably  requiring  of  its  ministers  the  constant 
performance  of  holy  offices  which  enforce,  in  its  fullness  and 
purity,  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus.  If  any  cause,  surely  that  in 
which  we  are  engaged  is  the  Bible  cause. 


1325]  Fifteenth  Annual  Report.  313 

We  would  that  we  had  to  tell  of  greater  efficiency  in  the  pros- 
ecution of  that  cause.  What  we  have  been  enabled  to  do  we 
have  done.  God  grant  that  it  may  be  the  means  of  encourage- 
ment to  those  who  have  means  of  increasing  our  usefulness,  and 
whom  we  have  a  right  to  look  to  extend  these  means  with  a 
liberality  proportioned  to  their  ability,  and  to  the  excellence  and 
vast  importance  of  the  cause ! 

Within  the  past  year  184  Bibles  and  388  Prayer  Books  have 
been  gratuitously  distributed,  and  120  octavo  Prayer  Books 
have  been  given  to  members  on  the  terms  of  the  Society,  making 
an  aggregate  distribution  of  592  volumes:  123  Bibles  and  361 
Prayer  Books  are  now  in  the  Depository  waiting  suitable  op- 
portunities of  being  forwarded  to  the  places  for  which  they  are 
designed.  The  aggregate  of  Bibles,  New  Testaments  and 
Prayer  Books  distributed  by  this  Society,  principally  gratuitously 
since  its  establishment  in  1809,  is  12,367. 

The  receipts  into  the  Treasury  during  the  past  year  included 
a  balance  of  $79. 5 7  at  the  last  report,  have  been  $573.20,  all  on 
account  of  the  disposable  funds.  The  expenses  have  been 
$400.95.  There  remains,  of  course,  a  balance  of  $172.25. 
The  sum  of  $500  has  been  appropriated  by  the  Board  for  the 
purchase  of  Bibles  and  Prayer  Books  during  the  year. 

Our  permanent  fund  amounts  to  $5,401.70.  It  will  be  per- 
ceived that  this  permanent  fund  is  our  principal  dependence. 
Were  the  smallness  of  the  receipts  from  subscribers  owing  en- 
tirely to  this  insensibility  to  this  excellent  charity  on  the  part  of 
the  members  of  our  Church  in  this  city,  we  should  indeed  have 
reason  to  lament  the  decay  of  true  love  for  the  cause  of  Christ, 
and  devotion  to  his  interests.  We  have  been,  however,  less  solicit- 
ous on  this  subject  on  account  of  the  truly  laudable  and  eminently 
successful  zeal  of  the  Auxiliary  Society,  which  was  established 
in  this  city  in  the  year  18 16.  It  is  devoted  to  the  same  good 
cause,  and  is  pursuing  it  in  the  same  scriptural  way.  We 
rejoice  that  it  is  so;  and  in  order  to  avoid  the  inconvenience  to 
both  Societies  of  a  public  appeal  in  behalf  of  both,  in  the  anni- 
versary sermons,  we  have  for  several  years  waived  that  mode  of 
increasing  our  funds  in  favour  of  the  Auxiliary  Society.  It  is 
the  cause  to  which  we  are  devoted,  and  we  rejoice  to  see  it 
flourish  in  our  hands,  and  most  heartily  give  God  speed  to  that 
excellent  sister  institution.     Our  two  subscription  lists  together 


314  Fifteenth  Annual  Report.  [1825 

are  not  what  should  be  expected  in  a  city  where  the  Episcopal 
communion  rainks  so  high  both  in  numbers  and  wealth. 

We  respectfully  suggest  it  to  the  consciences  of  our  brethren 
whether  they  are  true  to  the  interests  of  the  Church,  and  to  those 
of  the  Gospel  of  which  she  is  the  best  friend,  if  such  institutions 
are  cramped  in  their  usefulness  for  want  of  patronage  which  it 
is  in  their  power  to  extend. 

It  appears  by  the  ninth  annual  report  of  the  Auxiliary  Society, 
just  published,  that  they  had  put  into  circulation  during  the  pre- 
ceding )'ear,  131  Bibles  and  2,916  Prayer  Books,  and  29,758 
Bibles  and  Prayer  Books  since  the  establishment  of  the  Society. 
There  have  heretofore  been  distributed  by  the  two  Societies  in 
this  city  during  the  past  year  3,739  Bibles  and  Prayer  Books. 
And  since  the  year  1809,  42,125  Bibles,  New  Testaments  and 
Prayer  Books.  We  are  also  happy  to  be  assured  of  the  cooper- 
ation of  similar  institutions  in  other  parts  of  our  diocese.  Of 
these,  however,  the  proceedings  of  but  two  have  come  within 
our  knowledge  during  the  past  year,  viz :  those  of  the  Bible  and 
Common  Prayer  Book  Society  of  Albany  and  its  vicinity,  which 
appears  by  the  last  report  to  have  expended  during  the  preceding 
year,  in  the  objects  of  its  establishment,  $113.49;  and  those  of 
the  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  of  the  Central  Part 
of  the  State  of  New  York,  which  distributed  during  the  year 
preceding  its  last  annual  meeting  481  Bibles  and  Prayer  Books. 

It  would  seem  desirable  that  the  Board  of  this  Society  should 
be  regularly  furnished  with  the  reports  of  all  sister  institutions 
in  this  diocese,  in  order  that  there  may  thus  be  annually  given  a 
view  of  all  that  is  done  throughout  the  State  for  distributing  the 
Bible  and  Book  of  Common  Prayer.  We  would  therefore  re- 
spectfully solicit  of  the  boards  of  managers  of  such  institutions 
their  cooperation  to  this  end. 

As  far  as  our  present  means  of  information  extend,  we  think 
it  may  be  fairly  computed  that  the  aggregate  of  distribution 
during  the  past  year  by  societies  belonging  to  the  Church  in  this 
State  has  been  at  least  4,500  copies  of  the  Bible  and  Book  of 
Common  Prayer. 

Although  much  more  might  have  been  expected,  yfet  this  is  a 
refreshing  and  encouraging  truth.  It  is  much  the  custom  to 
laud  the  religious  aspect  of  the  present  times.  We  hope  there  is 
ground  for  it.  We  fear,  however,  that  there  is  much  to  diminish 
the  satisfaction  of  the  true  Christian,  in  the  too  prevalent  char- 


Fifteenth  Annual  Report.  316 


acter  of  the  religion  of  the  day.  Much  of  self-will  is  mingled 
with  it;  much  of  disregard  for  order;  much  of  indifference  to 
faith ;  and  much  of  that  mere  dissipation  which  runs  after  every 
novelty,  and  seeks  rather  the  gratification  of  hearing,  no  matter 
what  or  whom,  provided  it  pleases,  than  the  more  sober,  more 
humbling,  more  self-trying,  but  vastly  more  edifying,  adherence 
to  that  sound  doctrine,  to  that  use  of  those  means  of  grace,  and 
observance  of  those  rules  of  unity  and  order  which  the  Bible 
identifies  with  evangelical  piety.  The  very  professed  religion 
then  wliich  appears  to  be  now  gaining  ground  requires  the  efforts 
of  the  friend  of  the  Gospel  for  its  purification  from  the  unhal- 
lowed mixtures  to  which  human  frailty  has  subjected  it.  and, 
for  its  direction  into  the  good  old  way,  which  the  Gospel  reveals 
as  ordained  and  required  by  Almighty  God.  And  they  surely 
cannot  prosecute  this  pious  object  in  a  mode  more  promising 
success  than  by  extending  the  principles  and  enlarging  the 
borders  of  that  Church  which  makes  more  effectual  provision 
than  any  other  religious  community  for  spreading  the  knowledge 
and  securing  the  permanent  and  consistent  reception  of  the 
genuine  religion  of  the  Bible.  This  is  our  object.  It  is  not  an 
object  of  sect,  but  one  connected  with  the  dearest  interests  of 
the  Redeemer's  cause.  The  friends  of  that  cause  we  would  ask 
to  strengthen  our  hands  and  the  hands  of  all  with  whom  we  hav6 
the  honour  of  cooperating  in  this  holy  design.  And  the  blessing 
of  him  whose  cause  it  is  we  would  humbly  invoke,  and  ask  our 
friends  to  unite  with  us  in  invoking,  that  we  may  be  directed  in  all 
oiir  doings  with  his  most  gracious  favour  and  furthered  with  his 
continual  help,  that  through  our  humble  instrumentality  that 
grace  may  more  abound,  whereby  the  Holy  Scriptures  which 
God  has  caused  to  be  written  for  our  learning,  may  be  so  read, 
marked,  learned,  and  inwardly  digested  that  the  Church  of  the 
Bible  and  the  divine  principles  and  precepts  which  are  comrhit- 
ted  to  its  care  may  be  well  known,  and  more  widely  extended, 
and  produce  in  the  hearts  and  lives  of  men  their  wonted  reno- 
vating and  sanctifying  influence. 

Signed  by  order  of  the  Board. 

William  Berrian,  Chairman,  p.  t. 
Benjamin  T.  Onderdonk,  Secretary. 
New  York,  February  23,  1825.^ 

1.    The  Christian  Journal,  April,  1825,  Volume  IX.,  No.  4,  pp.  114,  115,  116, 


316  Sixteenth  Annual  Report.  [1825 

By  a  change  in  the  time  for  delivering  the  annual  address  to 
November  there  is  no  printed  report  for  the  tenth  year  of  the 
Auxiliary  Society. 

The  Annual  Meeting  for  1826  was  held  on  February  28th, 
when  the  Sixteenth  Annual  Report  was  adopted  and  the  follow- 
ing gentlemen  elected  managers  for  the  ensuing  year : 

John  Onderdonk,  Isaac  Carow,  John  Slidell,  Richard  Whiley, 
Henry  Rogers,  Henry  McFarlan,  George  Dominick,  Richard 
Piatt,  Gulian  Ludlow,  David  Clarkson.     (Folio  122.) 

The  Sixteenth  Annual  Report  of  the  Board  of  Managers 

OF  THE  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer 

Book  Society. 

The  managers  of  the  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer 
Book  Society,  again  under  a  grateful  sense  of  the  continued 
favour  and  blessing  of  the  Divine  Head  of  the  Church,  present 
to  their  constituents  the  required  annual  review  of  their  pro- 
ceedings. As  mentioned  in  former  reports,  so  much  active  and 
successful  exertion  has,  of  late  years,  been  bestowed  on  the  same 
species  of  public  beneficence  by  the  Auxiliary  Society  in  this 
city,  as  to  leave  to  your  Board  little  else  to  do  than  to  turn  to 
the  best  advantage  the  funds  already  at  their  disposal. 

These  consist  of  the  interest  of  a  permanent  fund  amounting 
to  ?5,45i-37  cents;  and  of  annual  subscriptions  which  amounted 
during  the  last  year  to  $125.60  cents.  The  subscription  list  is 
indeed  small;  exertions  to  increase  it  as  well  as  to  augment  the 
permanent  fund  having  been  waived  in  favour  of  those  so  zeal- 
ously prosecuted  by  the  Auxiliary  Society.  We  do  not  mean  to 
say — we  wish  we. could — that  these  exertions  produce  an  effect 
at  all  adequate  to  the  disinterestedness  and  zeal  with  which  they 
are  made,  or  in  any  fair  proportion  to  the  ability  of  tho.se  to 
whom  the  Church  has  a  right  to  look  for  the  support  of  her  insti- 
tutions. It  has  been  found,  however,  that  the  simultaneous 
prosecution  within  the  same  sphere  of  the  claims  of  the  institu- 
tions devoted  to  precisely  the  same  purpose,  has  an  unfavourable 
influence  on  both. 

The  cause  which  we  have  at  heart  is  ably  promoted  by  your 
indefatigable  coadjutors;  and  we  therein  rejoice.     Still,  how- 


1826]  Sixteenth  Annual  Report.  317 

ever,  the  serious  reflection  will  present  itself  that  what  is  done 
for  that  cause  is  far  short  of  what  ought  to  be  expected.  It  is 
not,  to  be  sure,  consistent  with  the  decent  order  and  Christian 
simplicity  which  the  Church,  in  whose  communion  our  societies 
are  established,  would  infuse  into  her  members  to  promote  the 
cause  of  those  societies  by  measures  of  popular  excitement  and 
personal  display  and  gratification,  more  appropriate  to  places  of 
worldly  wisdom  than  to  those  which  should  be  controlled  by  the 
wisdom  which  is  from  above — by  the  humility,  simplicity  and 
disinterestedness  which  are  so  prominent  among  the  evangelical 
graces;  and  the  sacrifice  of  which  is  a  serious  injury  to  the  very 
cause  with  which  it  is  sometimes  drawn  into  intimate  alliance. 
Still  it  is  our  duty  to  press  upon  members  of  the  Church,  with 
the  greatest  earnestness,  the  claims  of  those  institutions  which 
have  in  view  the  advancement  of  the  holy  cause,  and  thus  the 
pure  and  undefiled  religion  of  the  Gospel.  It  is  not  our  wish  to 
present  any  of  those  institutions  as  having  paramount  claims. 
They  are  all  operating  in  holy  concord;  comprising  in  their 
several  objects  the  various  means  by  which  the  Church  may 
manifest  her  efficiency  in  promoting  the  glory  of  God,  and 
man's  spiritual  and  eternal  welfare. 

Sometimes  a  Bible  may  be  received  under  circumstances  ren- 
dering it  the  best  incipient  means  of  conversion  from  sin  to 
holiness.  Sometimes  the  tract  or  larger  work  of  piety  may  be  the 
most  suitable  and  efficient.  Often  the  missionary  may  be  re- 
quired to  perform  his  holy  functions  before  proper  attention  will 
be  given  to  other  means. 

Very  frequently  the  distribution  of  the  Book  of  Common 
Prayer,  that  best  guide  to  devotion,  and  most  faithful  and  in- 
teresting digest  of  evangelical  principles  and  precepts,  is  the 
means  blessed  to  a  serious  conviction  of  the  awful  importance  of 
religion,  and  a  serious  application  to  the  heart  and  life  of  its 
holy  doctrines  and  salutary  maxims.  It  often  gives  the  first 
impulse  to  those  religious  assemblages  which  prepare  the  way 
for  permanent  parochial  establishments,  that  will  be  for  ages 
the  scene  of  sacerdotal  ministrations  promotive  of  the  glory  of 
God,  of  the  best  interests  of  society,  and  of  holiness  here  and 
happiness  hereafter,  to  multitudes  of  our  fellow  men. 

It  tends  to  strengthen  the  true  "Bible  cause,"  by  promoting 
that  steadfast  continuance  "in  the  apostles'  doctrine  and  fellow- 


ai&  Sixteenth  Annual  Report.  [l^M 

ship,"^ — that  unity  in  principles  of  order — which  is  the  n^ost 
primitive  and  most  essential  feature  of  the  religion  of  the  Bible. 

The  operation  of  those  exalted  charities,  in  which  the  Churchy 
in  pity  to  the  peculiar  spiritual  destitution  of  the  children  of  the 
poorer  and  more  dependent  classes,  provides  for  them  the  gratu- 
itous imparting  of  religious  and  other  useful  instruction,  exerts 
an  influence  throughout  the  community  favourable  to  the  success- 
ful prosecution  of  all  other  means  for  securing  the  blessings  of 
pure  religion  and  sound  morality. 

Nor  finally  should  we  forget  the  tribute  due  to  that  exalted 
mean  of  usefulness  calculated  to  give  energy  and  efficiency  to 
every  other  provision  for  securing  to  the  Church  a  pious  ortho- 
dox, learned  and  efficient  ministry. 

Institutions  for  promoting  these  various  modes  of  usefulness 
are  offered  to  the  patronage  of  the  members  of  the  Church. 
They  are  so  constituted  as  to  be  connected  with  the  Church  and 
thus  to  possess  a  definite  character,  and  a  definite  responsibility  ; 
and  to  atTord  means  of  doing  good  to  the  evangelical  causes^ 
upon  the  evangelical  principle  of  recognizing  the  Church  as  the 
divinely  appointed  medium  of  all  spiritual  blessings  from  God 
to  man. 

In  our  sphere  and  to  the  extent  of  our  humble  means,  we  have 
endeavoured  to  do  our  part  of  the  Church's  holy  work. 

During  the  past  year  we  have  gratuitously  distributed  244 
Bibles  and  488  Prayer  Books;  and  given  to  members  and  sub- 
scribers on  the  terms  of  the  Society,  65  copies  of  the  octavo 
Prayer  Book,  printed  from  our  stereotype  plates,  making  an 
aggregate  of  797  volumes;  and  we  would  remind  our  fellow 
members  of  the  Church,  that  for  every  dollar  which  they  con- 
tribute to  this  Society  they  are  entitled  to  an  Octavo  Prayer 
Book  or  a  Bible. 

Our  gratuitous  distributions  are  in  the  form  of  appropriations 
to  the  several  parishes  in  this  Diocese,  and  to  the  missionaries. 
Every  parish  in  union  with  the  convention  is  entitled  to  its  an- 
nual proportion,  and  every  missionary  to  a  further  appropria- 
tion. Application  should  be  made  to  the  agent  of  the  Society 
for  these  several  quota  of  Bibles  and  Prayer  Books,  sixty-three 
Bibles  and  180  Prayer  Books  of  former  appropriations  are  now 

i.    Acts  ii.  42. 


}.§2§]  Sixteenth  Annual  Report.  319 

in  the  depository  ready  to  be  delivered  on  demand. 

The  sum  of  $500  has  been  appropriated  by  the  Board  to  the 
purchase  of  Bibles  and  Prayer  Books  for  distribution  during 
tl]e  ensuing  year. 

Of  the  operations  during  the  past  year  of  the  other  Bible  and 
Common  Prayer  Book  Societies  in  this  diocese  we  know  nothing, 
with  the  exception  of  the  Auxiliary  Society  in  this  city.  It  ap- 
pears by  its  last  report,  that  its  gratuitous  distribution  for  the 
preceding  year  were  100  Bibles  and  1,571  Prayer  Books;  and 
that  3,769  Prayer  Books  have  been  sold  from  the  depository 
at  a  reduced  price  to  societies  and  individuals  for  gratuitous 
distribution,  making  an  aggregate  of  5,440  volumes.  The  two 
societies  therefore  in  this  city  have  distributed  during  the  past 
year  6,237  Bibles  and  Common  Prayer  Books. 

The  whole  amount  of  distributions  by  our  Society,  since  its 
establishment  in  1809,  has  been  13,164  Bibles,  New  Testaments 
and  Common  Prayer  Books,  and  the  aggregate  of  distribution 
for  the  same  period  by  the  two  Societies  has  been  48,362 
volumes.  The  parent  Society  has  also  a  set  of  stereotype  plates 
of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  of  the  octavo  size;  and  the 
Auxiliary  Society  a  i2mo  set  of  stereotype  plates  of  the  Bible 
and  one  of  the  Prayer  Book  of  i8mo  size. 

In  the  above  efforts  the  Societies  have  endeavoured  faithfully 
to  apply  the  means  with  which  they  have  been  furnished. 
Whether  the  result  is  all  that  might  reasonably  have  been  ex- 
pected of  so  large  and  wealthy  a  portion  of  the  Church,  we  submit 
to  the  candour  and  piety  of  her  members.  With  humility  and 
gratitude  we  would  say  we  have  done  what  we  could  and  de- 
voutly pray  that  God's  blessing  may  accompany  it,  and  make  it 
instrumental  in  acomplishing  the  great  and  good  ends  for  which 
he  established  the  Church  to  whose  holy  cause  our  Society  is 
devoted. 

Signed  by  order  of  the  Board. 

Jno.  M.  Wainwright,  Chairman,  p.  t. 
Attest:  Benjamin  T.  Onderdonk,  Secretary. 

New  York,  February  22,  1826.^ 

This  Society  admits  a$  members  or  subscribers  all  persons 
who  pay  annually  to  the  Treasurers  a  sum  not  less  than  two 

I.    The  Christian  Journal,  April,  1826,  Volume  X.,  No.  4,  pp.  122,  123,  124. 


320  Eleventh  Auxiliary  Report.  [1826 

dollars,  for  which  payment  they  are  entited  to  receive  one  Bible 
and  one  Prayer  Book,  or  three  Prayer  Books;  and  for  each 
additional  sum  of  one  dollar  and  fifty  cents  per  annum  an  ad- 
ditional Bible  and  Prayer  Book  or  three  Prayer  Books,  at  the 
option  of  the  member. 

This  Society  supplies  all  orders  for  Prayer  Books  for  gratu- 
itous distribution,  when  cash  or  reference  for  payment  on 
delivery  of  the  same  accompanies  the  order,  at  thirty  cents  per 
copy.  Orders  for  Bibles  or  Prayer  Books  should  be  addressed 
to  Thomas  N.  Stanford,  agent  of  the  Society  at  the  Depository, 
No.  1 60  Pearl  Street. 

Subscriptions  and  donations  will  be  thankfully  received  by  the 
Treasurers,  No.  42  Courtandt  Street,  or  the  agent,  No.  160 
Pearl  Street. 

The  fall  meeting  of  the  Auxiliary  was  held  in  St.  Paul's 
Chapel,  November  9,  1826. 

Eleventh  Auxiliary  Report. 

The  Eleventh  Annual  Report  of  the  Board  of  Managers  was 
read  by  Mr.  F'loyd  Smith,  when  the  following  resolutions  were 
unanimously  adopted : 

Resolved,  That  the  Report  just  read  be  accepted. 

Resolved,  That  the  thanks  of  the  Society  be  presented  to  the 
Board  of  Managers  for  the  fidelity  and  prudence  with  which 
they  have  discharged  the  duties  entrusted  to  them. 

Resolved,  That  the  future  Board  of  Managers  be  requested 
to  take  into  their  consideration  the  subject  of  appointing  com- 
mittees in  the  several  parishes  in  this  city,  for  the  purpose  of 
obtaining  additional  subscribers  to  the  Society. 

Resolved,  That  the  Annual  Report,  together  with  the  pro- 
ceedings of  the  Board,  be  published  under  the  direction  of  the 
Board  of  Managers. 

The  following  gentlemen  were  elected  a  Board  of  Managers 
for  the  ensuing  year,  viz : 

William  E.  Dunscomb,  President. 

J.  Smyth  Rogers,  M.D.,  ist  Vice  President. 

James  F.  Depeyster,  2nd  Vice  President. 

C.  N.  S.  Rowland,  Corresponding  Secretary. 

Charles  Keeler,  Recording  Secretary. 

Floyd  Smith,  Treasurer. 


1826]  Eleventh  Auxiliary  Report.  321 

Thomas  N.  Stanford,  Agent. 

Managers: — Luther  Bradish,  George  C.  Morgan,  Henry 
Barclay,  Warmaldus  Cooper,  Charles  Nichols,  S.  Caldwell 
Cleveland,  Richard  Oakley,  Lewis  Curtis,  J.  Lawrence  Moore, 
Thomas  Browning,  Henry  Bicker,  Henry  Cotheal,  D.  A.  Cush- 
man,  Samuel  D.  Rogers,  Benjamin  M.  Brown,  Charles  Roach, 
And.  Hamersley,  M.D.,  Peter  Ritter.^ 

By  a  Resolution  of  the  Board  of  Managers,  previously 
passed,  the  time  for  the  delivery  of  the  Annual  Address  was 
transferred  fro  mabout  the  first  of  February  to  the  latter  part  of 
November.  The  pecuniary  interests  of  the  Society  had  so  fre- 
quently suffered  from  the  inclemency  of  the  weather  at  the 
former  period,  as  to  render  this  arrangement  a  matter  of  im- 
perative obligation.  Pursuant  to  the  latter  resolution,  the  Rev- 
erend William  Creighton,  Rector  of  St.  Mark's  Church, 
delivered  an  able  and  appropriate  address  in  St.  Paul's  Chapel, 
on  Sunday  evening,  the  27th  of  November  last,  on  which  oc- 
casion two  hundred  and  fifteen  dollars  were  collected  for  the 
benefit  of  the  Society. 

On  the  first  day  of  February  last  our  Tenth  Annual  Report 
was  presented  to  the  Society,  and  its  disposition  referred,  in  the 
usual  manner,  to  the  Board  of  Managers.  At  an  early  meeting 
of  the  Board  it  was  deemed  inexpedient  to  publish  it  in  a 
pamphlet  form,  in  as  much  as  the  resolution  of  the  Society 
altering  the  time  of  holding  the  anniversary  meeting  would 
render  it  necessary,  in  the  comparatively  short  space  of  nine 
months,  to  exhibit  our  eleventh  report.  It  was  therefore  deemed 
both  prudent  and  proper  to  omit  its  publication,  and  to  incor- 
porate its  most  material  facts  in  the  Eleventh  Report,  and  thus 
present  a  distinct  view  of  the  Society's  operations  for  the  last 
twenty-one  months. 

There  have  been  received  into  the  Treasury,  to  the  credit  of 
the  disposable  fund,  one  thousand  one  hundred  and  ninety-five 
dollars  and  twenty-eight  cents,  exclusive  of  one  thousand  eight 
hundred  and  five  dollars  and  seventy  cents,  employed  in  the 
publication  and  sale,  at  prime  cost,  of  six  thousand  and  nineteen 


I.  The  Eleventh  Annual  Report  of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Auxfl- 
iary  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society.  New  York: 
Printed  by  T.  and  J.  Swords,  No.  99  Pearl  Street.     1826. 

(21) 


822  Eleventh  Auxiliary  Report.  [182ft 

copies  of  the  Prayer  Book.  One  thousand  and  sixty-six  dollars 
and  thirty-five  cents  have  been  expended  in  the  purchase  of 
Bibles,  and  the  publication  of  Prayer  Books,  for  gratuitous  dis- 
tribution, the  correction  of  our  plates,  and  the  ordinary  contin- 
gent charges  of  the  Society;  leaving  in  the  hands  of  the  Treas- 
urer on  the  first  instant,  one  hundred  and  twenty-eight  dollars 
and  ninety-three  cents.  The  Society  is  indebted  to  its  publishers 
three  hundred  and  forty-nine  dollars  and  eighty  cents;  which 
will  not  only  absorb  the  above  balance,  but  leave  a  deficit  of  two 
hundred  and  twenty  dollars  and  eighty-seven  cents,  for  which 

provision  must  be  made. 

******** 

The  Agent's  Report  herewith  presented,  exhibits  the  distribu- 
tions and  sales  during  the  same  period. 

There  have  been  gratuitously  distributed — 

Bibles.     P.  B. 

To  the  Orphan  Asylum  and  other  humane  institu- 
tions in  the  city 6^ 

To  the  Superintendents  and  Teachers  of  the  Sunday 

and  Charity  Schools  in  this  city  and  county ....       28       302^ 

To  Captain  Elliott,  of  the  United  States  ship  Cyane, 

for  the  use  of  the  crew 5a 

To  the  Captains  and  crews  of  several  merchant  ves- 
sels sailing  from  this  port 16         81 

To  the  labourers  at  Monroe  Iron  Works 36 

To  several  gentlemen,  at  various  times,  to  assist  in 
the  formation  of  new  congregations  in  this  and 
other  States 245 

To  the  Domestic  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society  of 
the  Prot.  Episcopal  Church  for  distribution  at 
the  missionary  stations 200 

To  the  Rev.  Cave  Jones,  Chaplain  in  the  United 
States  Navy,  for  the  use  of  the  seamen  con- 
nected with  the  naval  establishment  in  this 
port,  and  for  the  use  of  the  officers  and  crews 
of  the  United  States  ships  of  war  when  at  sea.  91 

To  sundry  benevolent  individuals,   for  the  use  of 

poor  persons 160 

To  the  Missionaries  and  other  Clergymen,  for  dis- 
tribution in  this  diocese 761 


1826]  Eleventh  Auxiliary  Report.  32S 

To  Clergymen,  for  distribution  in  other  states  and 

territories   398 

To  members  and  subscribers  to  the  Society,  agree- 
ably to  the  terms  of  subscription 76       212 

Distributed  by  the  Agent,  at  various  times,  to  indi- 
gent Episcopalians 30         92 

Making 150     2697 

The  sales  of  the  Prayer  Book,  during  the  same  period,  at  the 
Society's  very  low  price,  were  6,019  copies,  making  a  total  of 
sales  and  distributions  of  the  Prayer  Book  8,716  copies;  and 
making  a  grand  total  of  sales  and  distributions  since  the  organi- 
zation of  the  Society  of  38,474  volumes. 

The  Board  of  Managers  have  received  from  the  Rev.  Cave 
Jones,  Chaplain  in  the  United  States  Navy  on  this  Station,  an 
interesting  and  satisfactory  communication  on  the  subject  of  the 
distribution  of  the  books  which  have  been  from  time  to  time 
committed  to  his  care  and  disposal.  Mr.  Jones  has  performed 
the  office  of  almoner  with  so  much  judgment  and  effect,  and  has 
afforded  us  so  much  gratification  by  the  perusal  of  the  account 
of  his  mode  of  operation,  that  we  have  determined  to  make  it 
constitute  a  part  of  this  Report. 

"In  reference  to  the  effect  resulting  from  the  distribution,  with- 
out entering  upon  any  minute  detail,  I  will  only  say,  that  it 
cannot  fail  to  afford  gratification  to  every  friend  of  that  neg- 
lected class  of  our  species,  who  have  hitherto  been,  as  it  were, 
outcasts  from  the  house  of  God;  and  at  the  same  time  to  every 
one  who  wishes  to  see  the  sublime  service  of  the  Church  extend 
the  boundaries  of  its  influence,  were  he  present  to  witness  the 
orderly  and  apparently  devout  manner  in  which  many  of  the 
seamen  join  in  the  service,  and  the  strict  regularity  with  which 
every  part  of  it  is  performed.  I  will  only  add,  that  this  remark 
has  frequently  been  made  by  occasional  visitors.  And  officers  of 
the  Navy,  high  in  rank  too,  who  have  never  before  been  present 
at  such  a  scene,  have  impulsively  expressed  the  deep  impression 
which  has  been  made  on  their  minds,  of  the  beneficial  results 
which  must  arise  from  the  regular  performance  of  these  duties. 

"As  one  immediate  consequence,  I  will  take  the  opportunity 
to  mention,  that  a  commencement  has  been  made  of  introducing 
the  regular  performance  of  public  worship,  according  to  the 


324  Eleventh  Auxiliary  Report.  [1826 

forms  of  the  Church,  on  board  of  several  of  the  ships  of  war; 
and  even  on  board  of  those  which  are  not,  according  to  the  regu- 
lations of  the  navy,  entitled  to  a  chaplain.  The  first  arrangement 
of  this  kind  was  on  the  ship  of  war  Ontario,  on  board  of  which, 
previously  to  her  sailing  for  the  Mediterranean,  I  officiated  sev- 
eral times,  to  a  very  attentive  audience;  and  the  commander  of 
which.  Captain  Nicholson,  gave  me  assurance,  that  it  was  his 
determined  resolution  to  have  divine  service  performed,  and  a 
sermon  read,  every  Sunday  during  the  cruise.  What  is  also 
highly  encouraging,  I  will  take  the  opportunity  to  mention,  that 
on  those  occasions  the  First  Lieutenant,  who  had  been,  as  he 
informed  mb,  brought  up  in  a  different  religious  society,  yet 
joined  in  ardour  in  the  service  of  the  Church ;  and  expressed  his 
firm  conviction  that  her  form  of  worship  was  the  best  adapted  to 
interest  the  minds  of  seamen.  The  same  sentiment  has  also 
been  expressed  to  me  by  others,  still  higher  in  command,  and 
who  have  likewise  been  accustomed  from  their  early  years  to 
the  extemporaneous  mode. 

"The  same  plan  has  since  been  pursued  on  board  of  the  United 
States  corvette  Cyane,  of  a  still  higher  grade,  but  not  entitled  to 
the  services  of  an  authorized  Minister  of  religion.  The  com- 
mander thereof.  Captain  Elliott,  engaged  as  his  secretary,  with 
a  view  to  that  service,  a  gentleman  of  serious  deportment,  and 
acquainted  with  the  service  of  the  Church,  and  sent  him  to  me 
for  instructions  as  to  the  parts  of  the  service  which  it  would  be 
proper  for  him  to  perform.  He  was  also  furnished  with  a  supply 
of  Prayer  Books;  and  a  proper  selection  of  sermons  was  made 
by  me  at  his  request." 

******** 

"From  an  officer  lately  returned  from  the  Mediterranean 
squadron  I  have  had  the  pleasure  to  learn  that  what  I  had  fondly 
anticipated  had  been  actually  carried  into  effect.  That  gentle- 
man was  attached  to  the  sloop  of  war  Ontario,  and  was  on  board 
at  the  time  of  my  officiating,  previously  to  her  sailing.  He  in- 
forms me  that  my  recommendation  has  been  strictly  complied 
with;  for  that  from  the  time  of  her  departure,  and  especially 
while  in  port,  divine  service,  according  to  the  Episcopal  form. 
has  been  regularly  performed  by  the  Surgeon,  and  a  sermon 
read  by  the  Captain,  every  Sunday  morning.  On  these  occa- 
sions a  signal  was  hoisted,  to  intimate  the  occasion  to  the  other 


1826]  Eleventh  Auxiliary  Report.  325 

parts  of  the  squadron,  if  any  from  them  should  see  proper  to 

attend:  and  all  intercourse  with  the  ship,  and  all  departure  from 

her,  was  prohibited  during  the  hours  of  prayer.    The  same  was 

observed  on  board  of  the  ship  of  war  Erie.    And  on  board  of  the 

frigate  Constitution,  under  the  command  of  the  lamented  Mac- 

donough,  there  was  a  chaplain  episcopally  ordained,  who  held 

service  and  preached  every  Sunday. 

"From  these  favourable  commencements,  I  cannot  but  indulge 

the  hope,  that  the  time  is  fast  approaching,  when  not  only  'they 

who  go  down  to  the  sea  in  ships,  and  occupy  their  business  in 

great  waters,  shall  see  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  and  his  wonders  in 

the  deep' ;  but  when  'the  abundance  of  the  sea  shall  be  converted' 

unto  him. 

"Respectfully,  Sir,  your  obedient  Servant, 

"C.  Jones, 

"U.  S.  Naval  Chaplain,  New  York  Station. 

"Floyd  Smith,  Esq." 

******** 

The  Board  have  incurred  one  item  of  expense  of  considerable 
magnitude;  the  reasons  for  which  they  feel  it  due  both  to  them- 
selves and  their  constituents  to  explain  at  length.  It  will  be 
recollected  that  in  our  Ninth  Annual  Report  we  announced  our 
determination  to  have  the  plates  of  both  our  Prayer  Book  and 
Bible  carefully  compared  with  the  standard  copies  of  those  works 
adopted  by  the  General  Convention  of  our  Church.  Pursuant  to 
such  determination  a  graduate  of  our  Theological  Seminary,  who 
possesses  in  an  eminent  degree  the  proper  qualifications  for  such 
an  undertaking,  was  employed  by  the  Board  to  examine  and 
compare  the  Bible,  the  Prayer  Book  having  previously  under- 
gone the  same  process  by  another  competent  individual.  As  it 
was  impossible  to  ascertain  the  extent  of  the  corrections  to  be 
made  in  the  plates  previous  to  their  examination,  and  as  it  was 
requisite  that  the  labour  of  the  typefounder  should  immediately 
follow  that  of  the  examiner,  we  were  obliged  to  assume  the  risque 
of  the  expense  without  a  possibility  of  knowing  its  amount  until 
the  completion  of  the  work. 

We  regret  to  say,  that  the  discovery  of  a  number  of  errors  in 
punctuation,  orthography,  and  typography,  some  affecting  the 
sense  slightly,  and  others  materially,  has  involved  an  expense 
much  greater  than  was,  or  could  have  been  anticipated.    In  cast- 


326  Death  of  Mr.  Gulian  Ludlow.  [1827 


ing  our  plates  for  the  Bible,  the  founder  followed  a  corrected 
copy  of  the  American  Bible  Society;  but  which,  on  comparison 
with  the  copy  adopted  as  a  standard  by  the  General  Convention 
of  our  Church,  is  found  to  differ  as  above  stated ;  the  discovery 
and  correction  of  which  differences  has  involved  an  expense  of 
about  three  hundred  dollars.  By  reason  of  the  relinquishment  of 
all  profits  on  the  sale  of  both  our  Bible  and  Prayer  Book,  in  order 
to  increase  the  ability  of  other  similar  institutions  and  benevolent 
individuals  to  be  useful,  by  a  more  extended  circulation  of  the 
Bible  and  Prayer  Book,  this  expense,  great  as  it  is,  must  be  borne 
by  our  ordinary  funds. 

The  following  circular  letter  was  accordingly  drafted : 
Sir, 

A  Sermon  will  be  preached,  and  a  Collection  made  in  St. 
Paul's  Chapel,  next  Sunday  afternoon,  for  the  benefit  of  the 
Auxiliary  Nezv  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society. 
That  Society  has,  during  the  past  year,  corrected  its  Stereotype 
Plates  of  the  Bible  by  the  standard  copy  established  by  the  Gen- 
eral Convention  of  our  Church ;  so  that  they  have  now  the  means 
of  distributing  a  correct  edition  of  the  sacred  volume.  In  accom- 
plishing this,  they  have  incurred  a  heavy  debt,  and  they  must 
rely  on  the  contributions  of  the  benevolent  for  the  means  of  dis- 
charging it.  The  demand  for  Prayer  Books  from  various  quar- 
ters increases,  and  furnishes  an  additional  motive  for  aiding  the 
funds  of  a  Society  which  has  for  many  years  been  actively  en- 
gaged in  supplying  the  destitute  settlements  of  our  extensive 
country  with  the  means  of  worshipping  Almighty  God  according 
to  the  invaluable  form  of  the  Common  Prayer. 

Dec.  13,  1826. 

The  only  event  which  needs  chronicling  for  the  year  ending 
February,  1827,  was  the  death  of  the  Treasurer  of  the  Society, 
Mr.  Gulian  Ludlow.  To  have  been  Treasurer  during  those 
years  of  leanness  must  have  been  harassing  and  perplexing.  Two 
societies  engaged  in  practically  the  same  work  and  appealing  to 
the  same  class  of  people  for  support,  made  the  raising  of  money 
a  burdensome  task.  It  is  strange  that  this  had  not  been  per- 
ceived long  ago  by  the  officers  of  these  societies ;  but  at  last  the 
unwisdom  of  carrying  on  two  rival  organizations  was  forced 
home  on  the  Parent  Society. 


1827]  Proposed  Union.  327 

At  the  meeting  of  February  2t,  1827,  the  Agent's  report  for 
the  past  year  was  read.  It  appeared  by  it  that  344  Bibles  and 
^32  Common  Prayer  Books  had  been  gratuitously  distributed; 
and  50  octavo  Prayer  Books,  from  the  Society's  plates,  been 
-delivered  to  subscribers,  on  the  terms  of  the  Society, 

On  motion,  Resolved,  that  in  the  opinion  of  this  Board,  it  is 
■expedient  that  means  be  adopted  to  effect  a  union  between  this 
Society  and  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer 
Book  Society;  and  that  it  be  recommended  to  the  Society  at  its 
approaching  meeting,  to  appoint  a  committee  to  confer  with  any 
committee  which  may  be  appointed  by  the  said  Auxiliary  Society 
on  the  same  subject. 


CHAPTER  XL 

CONTENTS. 

Union  between  the  N.  Y.  B.  &  C.  P.  B.  Society  and  the  Auxiliary- 
Recommended  —  Seventeenth  Annual  Report  of  the  N.  Y.  B.  &  C.  P.  B. 
Society,  February,  1827  —  Twelfth  Annual  Report  of  the  Auxiliary  Society, 
April  1827  — Minute  on  the  Death  of  Mr.  Cornelius  R.  Duffie  — Report  of 
Mr.  Cave  Jones  on  the  Work  in  the  Navy  —  Annual  Meeting  and  Report  of 
the  Auxiliary  Society,  1828  — And  of  the  N.  Y.  B.  &  C.  P.  B.  Society  — 
Inauguration  by  Bishop  Hobart  of  the  Meeting  of  all  Church  Societies  on 
the  First  Evening  of  the  Diocesan  Convention  —  Success  of  the  Plan  — 
Joint  Meeting,  Held  October  16,  1828,  of  the  Auxiliary  Society,  the  Missionary 
Society,  the  Tract  Society  —  Establishment  of  a  New  York  Protestant 
Episcopal  Press  Advocated  —  Its  Report  —  Increasing  Prosperity  of  the 
Auxiliary  Society  —  Its  Fourteenth  Annual  Meeting,  October  i,  1829  — 
Annual  Report  —  Distribution  of  Prayer  Books  Among  the  U.  S.  Navy  — 
Donation  of  Prayer  Books  to  the  Domestic  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society  — 
Resignation  of  Mr.  Thomas  N.  Stanford  as  Agent  —  Success  of  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Press  —  Its  Zealous  Management  —  Its  First  Annual  Report  — 
Meetings  of  the  N.  Y.  B.  &  C.  P.  B.  Society,  1829  and  1830  —  Measures  for 
Union  of  the  Two  Societies  under  Discussion  —  Letter  to  the  Christian 
Journal  from  I.  L.  E.  on  the  Bible  Society  Cause  —  Fifteenth  Meeting  and 
Report  of  the  Auxiliary  Society,  October  7,  1830  —  Arrangements  with  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Press  —  The  Death  of  Bishop  Hobart. 

CARRYING  on  two  Societies  with  the  same  avowed 
purpose  and  in  the  same  city  was  bound  to  end  in  fail- 
ure. Either  one  or  the  other  would  have  to  be  dis- 
banded. It  was  a  waste  of  energy  and  it  must  have 
been  distracting  to  the  little  band  of  faithful  and  generous  givers 
to  know  to  which  of  the  two  appeals  to  respond.  The  wonder  is 
that  all  this  was  not  earlier  perceived,  and  that  both  societies 
should  have  gone  on  struggling  till  1827  before  amalgamation 
was  even  broached. 

The  annual  meeting  of  the  Auxiliary  Society  was  held  Feb- 
ruary 27th,  1827,  when  the  Secretary  read  the  Seventeenth 
Annual  Report  of  the  Board  of  Managers,  and  also  the  following 
extract  from  the  minutes  of  a  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Mana- 
gers, held  on  the  previous  Wednesday : 

328 


1827]  Letter  from  Mr.  Dunscomb.  329 

On  motion,  Resolved,  that  in  the  opinion  of  this  Board,  it  is 
expedient  that  measures  be  adopted  to  effect  a  union  between 
this  Society  and  the  AuxiHary  New  York  Bible  and  Common 
Prayer  Book  Society ;  and  that  it  be  recommended  to  the  Society, 
at  its  approaching  meeting  to  appoint  a  committee  to  confer  with 
any  committee  which  may  be  appointed  by  the  said  Auxiliary 
Society,  on  the  same  subject. 

The  President  stated  to  the  Society  that  he  had  received 
official  information  that  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and 
Common  Prayer  Book  Society  had  appointed  a  committee  on 
the  subject  contemplated  in  the  above  extract. 

Whereupon,  on  motion,  Resolved,  that  this  Society  also  deems 
it  expedient  that  measures  should  be  adopted  for  effecting  the 
proposed  union;  and  will  appoint  a  committee  to  confer  on  the 
subject  with  the  committee  of  the  Auxiliary  Society. 

Resolved,  that  the  committee  on  the  part  of  this  Society  con- 
sist of  the  President,  as  chairman  thereof,  and  of  two  clerical 
and  two  lay  members. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Wainwright,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Onderdonk,  Henry 
Rogers,  Esq.,  and  Dr.  John  Onderdonk,  were  appointed  accord- 
ingly. 

Resolved,  That  the  President  be  authorized  to  call  a  special 
meeting  of  the  Society  when  the  committee  is  ready  to  report. 

The  Society  then  proceeded  to  the  annual  election  of  ten  lay- 
men to  be  associated  with  the  Bishop  of  this  Diocese,  and  the 
clergy  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  of  this  city,  as  the 
Board  of  Managers  for  the  ensuing  year.  The  following  gen- 
tlemen were  chosen : 

John  Onderdonk,  Richard  Whiley,  John  Slidell,  Henry  Mc- 
Farlan,  Henry  Rogers,  Richard  Piatt,  George  Dominick,  David 
Clarkson,  Isaac  Carow,  Thomas  Ludlow. 

This  is  the  letter  referred  to  as  having  been  received  from  the 
Auxiliary  Society : 

"New  York,  February  26,  1827. 
"Sir, 

"I  beg  leave  to  call  the  attention  of  the  New  York  Bible  and 
Common  Prayer  Book  Society  to  the  following  Preamble  and 
Resolutions  adopted  at  a  Meeting  of  the  Board  of  Managers  of 
the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  So- 
ciety held  on  the  20th  instant. 


330  Beventeenth  Annual  Report.  [1827 


**  'Whereas,  It  has  been  unofficially  represented  to  this  Board  that 
a  proposition  for  uniting  this  Society  with  the  New  York  Bible 
and  Prayer  Book  Society  would  in  all  probability  be  favourably 
received  by  the  Managers  of  that  Institution, — Therefore, 

"  'Resolved,  That  a  Committee  of  Three  be  appointed  of  whom 
the  President  shall  be  one  to  confer  with  a  similar  Committee  to 
be  appointed  by  the  Managers  of  the  New  York  Bible  and  Com- 
mon Prayer  Book  Society. 

"  'Resolved,  That  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  President  of  this, 
to  apprise  the  President  of  that  Society  of  the  appointment  of  this 
Committee  and  to  request  the  appointment  of  a  like  Committee 
on  their  part. 

"  'Resolved,  That  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  this  when  met  in  con- 
sultation with  the  other  Committee  to  ascertain  precisely  the 
terms  on  which  a  union  can  be  effected  and  then  to  call  a  meeting 
of  the  Board  of  Managers  to  whom  they  shall  submit  their  report 
for  further  instructions. 

"  'Resolved,  That  it  shall  also  be  the  duty  of  this  Committee  to 
ascertain  and  report  to  the  Board  at  the  same  time,  what  altera- 
tion in  our  act  of  Incorporation  will  be  necessary  in  case  such 
union  should  take  place.' 

"Messrs.  Bradish  and  Brown  in  conjunction  with  the  President 
were  appointed  a  Committee  for  that  purpose. 
"I  am  Respectf. 

"Your  ob.  Sert. 

"Wm.  E.  Dunscomb. 
"Prest.  Auxy.  N.  Y.  B.  &  C.  P.  Book  Socy." 

The  Seventeenth  Annual  Report  of  the  Board  of  Man- 
agers OF  THE  New  York  Bible  and  Common 
Prayer  Book  Society. 

The  death  and  removal  of  a  large  number  of  the  original  con- 
tributors to  the  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book 
Society  havings  much  reduced  our  list  of  subscribers,  and  the 
active  and  enterprising  exertions  of  the  Auxiliary  Society,  since 
its  establishment  in  1816,  having  in  a  great  measure  superseded 
the  necessity  of  efforts  to  increase  the  number  of  subscribers,  the 
Managers  of  this  Society  have  become,  almost  exclusively,  a 
board  of  trust  for  the  care  of  the  permanent  fund  of  the  So- 
city,  which  amounts  to  between  $5,000  and  $6,000. 


ia27]  Deatk  of  Mr.  Gulian  Ludlow.  asi 

Of  the  present  state  of  the  treasury,  and  the  receipts  and  ex- 
penditures of  the  past  year,  the  Board  cannot,  at  this  time,  give 
a  particular  account,  owing  to  the  recent  decease  of  our  Treas- 
urer, Mr.  GuHan  Ludlow,  and  the  unexpected  absence  from  the 
city  of  his  executor.  Of  the  valuable  services  of  the  excellent 
officer  of  whom  we  have  thus  been  deprived,  the  Board  would 
take  this  opportunity  of  expressing  the  most  grateful  and  affec- 
tionate remembrance.  He  was  chosen  Treasurer  soon  after  the 
organization  of  the  Society  in  1809,  and  continued,  until  his 
death,  to  discharge  the  duties  of  that  office  in  the  most  faithful, 
prompt,  and  satisfactory  manner. 

The  following  report  of  the  Agent  will  show  the  number  of 
Bibles  and  Common  Prayer  Books  distributed  during  the  past 
year : — 

The  Agent  of  the  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book 
Society  begs  leave  to  report : 

There  have  been  distributed,  during  the  past  year,  to  the  differ- 
ent congregations  in  the  State,  304  Bibles  and  742  Prayer  Books, 
of  the  appropriation  of  1826;  also  40  Bibles  and  90  Prayer 
Books,  of  previous  appropriations ;  making  a  total  of  344  Bibles 
and  832  Prayer  Books,  delivered  out  of  the  depository  since  the 
last  annual  report. 

There  have  likewise  been  delivered  to  subscribers,  upon  the 
terms  of  subscription,  50  octavo  Prayer  Books,  from  the  Society's 
plates. 

There  remain  on  hand  at  the  depository,  26  Bibles  and  16 
Prayer  Books.  Henry  M'Farlan,  Agent. 

New  York,  12th  Feb.,  1827. 

The  aggregate  amount  of  distributions  by  this  Society,  since 
its  establishment  in  1809,  has  been  14,390  Bibles,  New  Testa- 
ments, and  Common  Prayer  Books. 

The  Standing  Committee  have  been  authorized,  as  soon  as  they 
have  before  them  a  correct  view  of  the  state  of  the  funds,  to  make 
the  annual  appropriation  for  Bibles  and  Common  Prayer  Books 
for  distribution. 

It  will  probably  amount  to  about  $400  or  $500. 

Brief  as  is  our  report,  we  rejoice  to  find  in  it  matter  of  con- 
gratulation, and  ground  of  hope  that,  by  God's  blessing,  our 
Society  has  not  been,  and  is  not,  without  efficiency  as  an  humble 
instrument  in  his  hand  for  promoting  his  glory,  the  good  of  his 


882     ,         Death  of  Mr.  Cornelius  R.  Duffie.         [1827 


church,  the  best  interests  of  society  and  the  commonwealth,  and 
the  spiritual  and  eternal  welfare  of  our  fellow  men.  The  circu- 
lation of  more  than  1,200  Bibles  and  Common  Prayer  Books^ 
during  the  past  year,  and  of  more  than  14,000  since  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  Society,  cannot  have  been  unproductive  of  great 
good  in  these  noble  objects  of  Christian  enterprise,  exertion,  and 
liberality.  We  would  gratefully  acknowledge  the  blessing  of 
God  in  the  accomplishment  of  any  such  good  which  may  have 
been  realized ;  and  humbly  pray  that  the  same  blessing  may  more 
and  more  largely  attend  all  efforts  for  advancing  the  interests  of 
the  Redeemer's  kingdom. 

Signed  by  order  of  the  Board. 

J.  H.  HoBART,  President. 
Attested,  Benjamin  T.  Onderdonk,  Sec'ry. 

New  York,  Feb.  21,  1827.^ 

As  the  minutes  of  the  Auxiliary  Society  for  the  period  were 
destroyed  by  fire  there  is  no  method  of  ascertaining  the  views 
of  that  body  upon  the  proposition  of  the  parent  institution.  The 
Auxiliary  still  displayed  that  enthusiasm  and  simplicity  of  pur- 
pose with  which  it  had  commenced  its  work.  Each  report 
showed  an  enlargement  of  its  labours  in  the  circulation  of 
Bibles  and  Prayer  Books.  Few  societies  even  to-day  can  present 
a  more  thorough  and  systematic  plan  carefully  carried  out. 

The  Twelfth  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible 
and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  was  held  in  St.  Paul's 
Chapel,  on  Wednesday,  November  14th,  1827,  pursuant  to  public 
notice.  William  E.  Dunscomb,  Esq.,  President  of  the  Society, 
took  the  chair  at  seven  o'clock  P.  M. 

The  minutes  of  the  Society's  proceedings,  at  their  last  annual 
meeting,  were  read  by  the  Secretary  and  approved. 

The  Twelfth  Annual  Report  of  the  Board  of  Managers  was 
then  read  by  Mr.  Floyd  Smith,  whereupon  the  following  resolu- 
tions were  offered  and  severally  adopted : 

Resolved,  That  the  report  just  read  be  accepted. 

Resolved,  That  this  Society  sincerely  sympathizes  with  the 
members  of  its  Board  of  Managers  in  the  afflicting  bereavement 
they  have  sustained  in  the  death  of  their  late  friends  and  asso- 
ciates, the  Rev.  Cornelius  R.  Duffie  and  Mr.  Henry  Bicker. 

I.    The  Christian  Journal,  April,  1827,  pp.  114,  115. 


1827]  Auxiliary  Meeting.  333 

Resolved,That  the  thanks  of  this  Society  are  due  in  a  pre- 
eminent degree  to  our  respected  Diocesan  for  the  promptitude 
with  which  he  undertook,  and  the  zeal  and  efficiency  with  which 
he  discharged,  a  most  laborious  duty,  in  the  delivery  of  a  ser- 
mon in  the  several  Episcopal  Churches  in  this  city,  for  the 
benefit  of  this  Society. 

Resolved,  That  the  grateful  acknowledgments  of  this  Society 
are  also  due  to  the  several  Rectors,  by  whose  consent  the  sermon 
was  preached,  and  collections  made  in  their  several  churches; 
and  to  the  members  of  the  congregations  thereof  for  their 
liberal  contributions  on  those  occasions. 

Resolved,  That  the  thanks  of  this  Society  are  due  to  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Jones,  Chaplain  in  the  United  States  Navy  on  the  New 
York  station,  for  the  judicious  and  beneficial  mode  adopted  by 
him  of  distributing  the  books  of  this  Society,  which  have  here- 
tofore been  placed  at  his  disposal. 

Resolved,  That  the  time  of  holding  the  annual  election  of  the 
officers  of  this  Society  be  changed  from  the  second  Wednesday 
of  November  to  the  evening  of  the  first  day  of  the  meeting  of 
the  Convention  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  of  this  State. 

Resolved,  That  the  first  Section  of  the  third  Article  of  the 
By-Laws  be  stricken  out,  and  that  the  words  following  be  substi- 
tuted : 

The  anniversary  meeting  of  the  Society  shall  be  held  on  the 
evening  of  the  first  day  of  the  meeting  of  the  Convention  of  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church  of  this  State. 

Resolved,  That  this  Society  present  their  thanks  to  the  Board 
of  Managers  for  the  faithful  manner  in  which  they  have  dis- 
charged the  trust  committed  to  them. 

Resolved,  That  the  Annual  Report,  together  with  the  pro- 
ceedings of  this  meeting,  be  published,  under  the  direction  of 
the  Board  of  Managers. 

The  Society  then  proceeded  to  elect  a  Board  of  Managers  for 
the  ensuing  year,  the  Rev.  Doctors  Wainwright  and  Onderdonk 
being  appointed  inspectors.  The  following  gentlemen  were  de- 
clared to  be  duly  elected,  viz : 

William  E.  Dunscomb,  President. 

J.  Smyth  Rogers,  ist  Vice  President. 

James  F.  Depeyster,  2nd  Vice  President. 

Benjamin  F.  Brown,  3rd  Vice  President. 


334  Twelfth  Auxiliary  Report.  [1827 

C.  N.  S.  Rowland,  Corresponding  Secretary. 

Charles  N.  Keelcr,  Recording  Secretary. 

Floyd  Smith,  Treasurer. 

Thomas  N.  Stanford,  Agent. 

Managers: — Richard  Oakley,  Philander  Hanford,  J.  Law- 
rence Moore,  John  Brouwer,  D.  A.  Cushman,  William  Bakewell, 
Andrew  Hamcrsley,  M.D.,  Robert  Gracie,  George  C.  Morgan, 
J.  H.  Hobart  Haws,  S.  Caldwell  Cleveland,  James  M.  Pendle- 
ton, M.D.,  Lewis  Curtis,  William  A.  F.  Pentz,  Thomas  Brown- 
ing, William  H.  Hobart,  Henry  Gotheal. 

Twelfth  Auxiliary  Report. 

Many  as  have  been  the  tokens  of  Divine  favour  which  we 
have  received ;  prospered  tnd  blessed  as  we  have  been ;  yet  hath 
it  pleased  the  same  almighty  and  beneficent  Being  in  his  wise 
providence,  to  visit  us  with  a  most  afflicting  bereavement,  in  the 
death  of  our  late  beloved  and  lamented  friend  and  associate,  the 
Rev.  Cornelius  R.  Duffie.  Although,  at  the  time  of  this  melan- 
choly event,  he  was  not  a  member  of  this  Board,^  yet  was  he  one 
of  the  founders  of  the  Society,  and  for  many  years  one  of  its 
most  consistent,  persevering,  and  efficient  managers — and  up  to 
the  period  when  it  pleased  Him,  whose  glory  and  honour  he  ever 
sought  to  promote,  by  the  instrumentality  of  this  institution,  one 
of  its  most  valued  and  steady  friends.^  Those  of  us  who  have 
been  long  associated,  and  were  on  terms  of  familiar  friendship 
with  him,  can  with  melancholy  joy  recall  to  our  remembrance  the 
many  and  substantial  evidence  he  gave  of  how  closely  indentified 
in  his  heart  were  the  interests  of  religion  and  the  Church  with 
the  prosperity  of  this  Society.  The  loss  of  such  a  friend  to  our 
Society  was  indeed  an  afflicting  bereavement;  but  it  is  not  only 
as  such  a  friend  that  we  are  called  upon  to  deplore  his  loss;  as 
our  individual  friend  and  counsellor — as  one  who  enjoyed  in  the 
highest  degree  our  confidence  and  esteem — we  contemplate  this 
mysterious  dis|)ensation  in  humble  submission;  yet  as  a  dispen- 
sation which  has  touched  the  tenderest  chords  of  our  hearts,  and 
made  us  deeply  sensible  of  the  frailty  of  the  tenure  by  which 

1.  By  the  act  incorporating  this  Society,  the  clergy  are  ineligible  to  office 
therein. 

2.  There  is  evidently  an  omission  here. 


1827]  Twelfth  Auxiliary  Report.  335 

we  hold  and  enjoy  the  happiness  of  this  everchanging  world, 
and  by  which  we  humbly  hope  we  have,  in  some  good  degree, 
been  taught  the  salutary  lesson  of  "Be  ye  also  ready." 

Possessed,  as  was  our  friend,  of  talents  of  the  highest  order 
— of  a  mind  of  singular  purity  and  vigour — of  the  most  exem- 
plary morals  and  manners — of  a  warm  and  ardent,  yet  rational 
and  consistent  piety — of  a  most  sincere  devotion  to  the  best  in- 
terests of  religion  and  the  Church — kind  and  amiable  in  his 
disposition — meek  and  modest  in  his  deportment — true  and 
sincere  in  his  friendship;  frigid  indeed  must  be  our  hearts  if 
such  exalted  qualities  did  not  inspire  them  with  ah  affection  so 
true,  and  a  veneration  so  sincere,  that  nothing  but  that  awful 
event  which  should  still  their  pulsations  in  the  "gloom  of  thd 
grave,"  could  ever  extinguish. 

Scarcely  had  our  first  emotions  of  grief  begun  to  subside, 
and  our  feelings  to  resume  somewhat  of  their  wonted  composure, 
when  we  were  again  summoned  to  pay  the  last  sad  office  of 
friendship  to  another  of  our  esteemed  associates.  In  the  person 
of  Mr.  Henry  Bicker,  the  members  of  our  Board  have  sustained 
the  loss  of  an  intelligent,  liberal,  and  useful  coadjutor,  and  one 
who  had  won  upon  their  kindness  and  affection  by  the  urbanity 
of  his  manners  and  his  exemplary  deportment.  Warm  and  de- 
cided in  his  attachment  to  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  yet, 
like  our  revered  friend  Mr.  Duffie,  he  was  brought  up  in  an- 
other communion — like  him,  did  he  fairly  and  patiently  examine 
the  grounds  on  which  she  founded  her  claims  to  apostolic  origin 
— and,  like  him,  yielded  himself  up  to  be  conducted  whitherso- 
ever the  light  of  truth  and  the  force  of  fair  and  honest  argu- 
ment would  lead  him.  Need  we  be  surprised  that  the  result  of 
such  a  course  was  the  full  confirmation  of  his  attachment  to 
our  venerable  Church?  When  has  it  happened  otherwise? 
Never,  fearlessly  we  answer — Never. 

The  means  of  enabling  us  to  print  an  edition  of  the  Bible 
from  corrected  plates,  and  to  extend  the  gratuitous  circulation 
thereof,  as  also  of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  to  the  utmost 
limit  of  the  probable  demand  upon  us  for  the  current  year,  was 
a  subject  which  deservedly  claimed  the  early  attention  of  the 
Board  of  Managers.  The  annual  subscription  to  the  Society, 
together  with  the  sum  ordinarily  received  at  the  delivery  of  our 


336  Twelfth  Auxiliary  Report.  [1827 

annual  sermon,  were  inadequate  to  the  accomplishment  of  this 
object:  recourse  must  therefore  be  had  to  extraordinary  means. 
Communicating  with  our  respected  Diocesan,  and  frankly 
stating  to  him  our  apprehensions  of  a  larger  deficiency  of  funds 
for  the  year,  with  his  characteristic  zeal  and  promptitude  he 
offered  his  services  to  preach  in  all  the  Episcopal  churches  in 
the  city  with  the  consent  of  the  rectors  thereof  by  which  our 
fellow-churchmen  generally  would  have  an  opportunity  of  be- 
coming better  acquainted  with  the  existence  and  claims  of  the 
Society  to  a  liberal  patronage.  The  beneficial  results  of  such  an 
arrangement  being  distinctly  foreseen,  it  was  instantly  adopted. 
How  well,  and  how  successfully  this  important  and  laborious 
duty  was  performed,  we  may  safey  appeal,  both  to  the  recol- 
lection of  those  who  had  the  gratification  to  hear  the  sermon, 
and  to  our  treasury,  replenished  by  the  following  liberal 
contributions,  viz: 

From  Trinity  Church $122  83 

St.  Paul's  Church 115  86 

Christ  Church,  Anthony  Street 54  58 

Grace  Church 186  11 

St.  Luke's  do 40  45 

Zion  do 37  08 

St.  George's  do 66  36 

■    St.  Mark's  do 65  00, 

St.  Stephen's  do 55  05 

St.  Thomas's  do 68  00 

St.  Philip's  (coloured  congregation) 35  24 

Making $846  61 

The  cordial  thanks  of  the  Board  were  duly  returned  to 
Bishop  Hobart  for  the  very  essential  services  he  has  rendered  to 
the  Society,  by  the  delivery  of  a  most  able  and  eloquent  sermon 
in  its  behalf;  and  so  decided  was  the  conviction  opon  their 
minds  that  its  publication  in  a  pamphlet  form,  and  its  general 
circulation  thereof  among  our  fellow-churchmen,  as  also  among 
those  not  of  our  communion,  but  who  were  seeking  information 
in  reference  to  our  Church,  would  be  productive  of  great  and 
lasting  good,  by  the  diffusion  of  sound,  evangelical,  and  scrip- 
tural views  of  Christian  doctrine  and  duty,  that  they  immediately 


a»27]  Twelfth  Auxiliary  Report.  337 

requested  a  copy  for  that  purpose.  This  request  was  granted, 
upon  the  single  condition  that  the  time  of  its  publication  should 
be  left  to  the  judgment  of  the  writer:  to  which  proposition  the 
Board  readily  acceded. 

To  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible 

and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society. 
Gentlemen : 

The  pleasing  task  devolves  upon  me  of  tendering  to  you  the 
very  grateful  acknowledgments  of  the  corporation  of  St.  Philip's 
•Church,  for  the  present  of  two  very  elegant  Prayer  Books  for 
the  use  of  their  Chancel,  sent  to  them  as  an  expression  of  the 
pleasure  with  which  you  received  a  collection  from  their  con- 
gregation in  aid  of  your  funds.  In  contributing  to  that  object 
according  to  our  ability,  we  felt  that  we  were  but  performing 
that  which  is  the  duty  of  every  member  of  the  Church. 

To  your  liberality  we  stand  indebted  for  the  supply  of  our 
Sunday  School,  and  the  indigent  members  of  our  church,  with 
Bibles  and  Prayer  Books,  from  the  period  of  our  organization 
until  the  present.  We  presented  our  collection,  therefore,  as  a 
mere  thank-offering;  regretting  indeed  that  it  was  no  greater, 
but  trusting  that  you  would  appreciate  it,  not  according  to  its 
amount,  but  the  motive.  But  the  manner  in  which  it  was  re- 
ceived, as  expressed  by  your  resolutions,  and  the  present  accom- 
panying them,  far  exceeded  our  expectations,  and  makes  us  feel 
our  debt  of  gratitude  more  than  doubled.  We  beg  you,  there- 
fore, to  accept  our  most  sincere  thanks,  with  the  assurance  that 
these  tokens  of  your  goodwill  will  be  ever  held  in  grateful  re- 
membrance by  us,  and  that  our  prayers  will  not  fail  to  be 
offered  to  God  for  his  blessings  upon  your  institution.  With 
sentiments  of  high  respect,  I  remain. 
Gentlemen, 
Your  very  obedient  and  humble  servant, 

Peter  Williams,  Rector  of  St.  Philip's  Church. 

New  York,  April  24,  1827. 

In  addition  to  the  $846.61  already  noticed,  there  have  been 
received    into   the    treasury    from   annual  subscribers,  $559.78 
(including    a   balance    of    $135.48),  making  an  aggregate  of 
(22) 


338  Twelfth  Auxiliary  Report.  [1821 

$1,406.39,  exclusive  of  $712.50,  which  have  been  employed  in 
the  publication  and  sale,  at  prime  cost,  of  2,375  copies  of  the 
Prayer  Book.  $823.35  have  been  expended  in  an  edition  of 
500  copies  of  the  Bible,  and  250  copies  of  the  New  Testament^ 
of  which  there  remain  on  hand  140  copies  of  the  Bible,  and  the 
publication  of  1,713  copies  of  the  Prayer  Book  gratuitously  dis- 
tributed. The  debt  of  $349.80,  due  to  our  publishers  at  the 
close  of  the  last  year,  has  also  been  paid,  together  with  the  usual 
contingencies,  and  leaving  a  balance  in  the  treasury  of  $79.38. 

The  Permanent  Fund  has  been  augmented  by  the  life  sub- 
scription of  Mr.  Jacob  Shatzel,  and  the  accumulation  of  its  own 
interest,  from  $928.66  to  $1,017.73,  which  is  safely  invested. 

The  Agent's  Report,  herewith  presented,  exhibits  the  dis- 
tributions of  the  last  year,  and  the  aggregate  sales  and  gratui- 
tous distributions  since  the  organization  of  the  Society  in  1816. 

Summary  of  the  Agent's  Report. 

Testa-     Prayer 
Bibles,    meiits. Books. 

To  the  members  and  subscribers  to  the  Society, 

agreeably  to  the  term  of  subscription. ......     72       21       81 

To  sundry  benevolent  individuals,  for  distribu- 
tion to  indigent  persons 19       36       49 

To  the  Managers  of  the  Orphan  Asylum,  and 
other  humane  institutions  in  the  city  and  else- 
where         42       45       99 

To  the  Superintendents  and  Teachers  of  Sunday 
Schools  in  this  city,  and  in  other  parts  of  the 
State   102       38     276 

Donations  for  the  use  of  Sunday  Schools  and 

charitable  institutions  in  other  Dioceses 13       44       86 

To  the  Rev.  Cave  Jones,  for  the  use  of  seamen 

of  the  United  States  Navy ^  102 

To  seamen  in  the  Merchant  Service 6  17 

Donations    to    the    Missionaries,     and    other 

Clergymen  in  this  Diocese 9  496 

To  Clergymen  and  others,   for  distribution  in 

other  States  and  in  distant  Territories 284 

To  several  gentlemen  engaged  in  forming  new 
Congregations  in  different  parts  of  this  Dio- 
cese    102 


1827]  Twelfth  Auxiliary  Report.  389 

Military  Post  at  the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony,  de- 
livered to  the  Rev,  C.  F.  Jones 12       12       50 

Distributed  by  the  Agent,  to  indigent  individ- 
duals  at  various  times,  on  application  at  the 
Depository    20       18       71 


295     214  1713 

Making  thus  a  total  of  gratuitous  distributions  during  the 
Society's  twelfth  year,  of  two  hundred  and  ninety-five  Bibles, 
two  hundred  and  fourteen  Testaments,  and  one  thousand  seven 
hundred  and  thirteen  Prayer  Books. 

The  sales  within  the  same  period  have  been  sixty-five  Bibles, 
thirty-six  Testaments,  and  two  thousand  one  hundred  Prayer 
Books. 

The  total  of  sales  and  gratuitous  distributions  for  this  period 
is  three  hundred  and  sixty  Bibles,  two  hundred  and  fifty  Tes- 
taments, and  three  thousand  eight  hundred  and  thirteen  Prayer 
Books,  making  a  grand  total  of  sales  and  distributions,  since 
the  formation  of  the  Society,  of  forty-two  thousand  eight  hun- 
dred and  ninety-seven  volumes. 

New  York,  November  7,  1827. 

The  Board  have  again  been  favoured  with  an  interesting 
communication  from  the  Rev.  Mr.  Jones,  Chaplain  in  the 
United  States  Navy  on  this  station,  in  which  is  exhibited  his 
mode  of  distribution  and  the  most  gratifying  evidence  of  the 
continued  usefulness  of  our  bounty  among  that  neglected  class 
of  our  fellow  beings,  but  the  gallant  defenders  of  our  country's 
rights  and  honour.  Mr.  Jones  is  so  immediately  connected  with 
the  seamen  of  our  navy,  and  is  favoured  by  such  excellent  op- 
portunities of  judging  of,  and  describing  the  effect  of  a  free 
distribution  of  our  invaluable  formulary  of  public  devotion 
among  them,  that  the  Board  feel  it  a  duty  to  make  his  com- 
munication constitute  a  part  of  their  Report.  The  letter  of  Mr. 
Jones  urged  upon  the  Society  the  great  importance  of  the  reli- 
gious instruction  of  the  men  in  the  various  ships  temporarily  at 


I.     Besides  six  handsomely  bound  octavo  Prayer   Books   for  the  use  of 
Officers  on  board  of  the  United  States  ships. 


3iO  Twelfth  Auxiliary  Report.  [1827 

the  Navy  Yard.  It  explained  the  inadequacy  of  the  chaplains 
allowed  by  law  to  care  for  all  the  sailors,  as  only  certain  ships 
were  allowed  a  chaplain.  Mr.  Jones  suggested  it  would  be  a 
great  benefit  in  those  not  entitled  to  a  chaplain,  to  have 
prayers  and  sermon  read  by  some  suitable  person  appointed  for 
the  purpose. 

He  thus  -continues : 

The  Lexington  is  one  of  the  class  just  mentioned;  but  Captain 
Booth  was  desirous  of  having  a  gentleman  appointed  as  instruc- 
tor to  the  young  officers,  who,  though  not  in  orders,  should  be 
possessed  of  qualifications,  and  of  a  suitable  character,  to  act 
in  all  respects  as  chaplains,  as  far  as  is  competent  to  a  layman,-— 
that  is,  to  perform  the  precise  duties  of  a  reader  in  the  Church ; 
and  whose  example  should  give  force  to  his  instructions.  I  was 
highly  favoured,  through  your  instrumentality,  Sir,  in  obtaining 
from  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Theological  Seminary,  a  young 
gentleman,  answering,  as  I  think,  in  all  respects  to  the  above 
description.  For  the  comfort  and  accommodation  of  this 
gentleman,  as  I  have  learnt,  every  provision  was  made  by  the 
commander,  which  the  proper  discipline  of  the  ship  would  permit ; 
and  every  facility  has  been  afforded  to  give  his  labours  effect. 
And  I  have  the  satisfaction  to  be  assured  that  public  worship 
has  been  regularly  observed  on  board  of  the  Lexington,  from 
the  time  of  her  departure  from  this  port.  Under  these  cir- 
cumstances a  further  appropriation  of  Prayer  Books  was  made 
in  addition  to  those  which  has  been  previously  furnished. 

I  am  aware.  Sir,  that  it  does  not  come  within  the  immediate 
purview  of  your  Society,  but  I  cannot  persuade  myself  to 
forego  the  opportunity  of  urging,  through  them,  on  the  students 
of  the  Seminary  the  importance  of  cultivating  (if  they  w^ill 
allow  the  mal-a-propos  metaphor)  the  field  of  labour  thus  put 
within  their  power.  As  a  missionary  ground  (still  to  pursue 
the  idea  on  the  sea!)  it  certainly  affords  extensive  scope  for 
usefulness.  To  endeavour  to  reclaim  from  evil  courses, — which 
habit  alone  seems  to  induce,  and  which  want  of  means  to  correct 
alone  would  seem  to  continue, — this  useful  class  of  men,  who 
are  the  connecting  links  of  all  the  naturally  discovered  parts  of 
the  earth,  who  are  the  great  sinews  of  commerce,  that  source  of 
so  many  and  so  important  comforts  and  blessings  to  our  land, 
and  who,  in  this  country  in  particular,  must  always  fonn  the 


1828]  Twelfth  Auxiliary  Report.  341 

main  bulwark  of  our  national  defence, — to  undertake  such  a 
work  would  seem  to  afford  the  fairest  scope  for  the  exercise  of 
Christian  philanthropy;  and  to  present  an  incitement  to  zeal  and 
activity,  peculiarly  appropriate  to  the  intended  heralds  of  the 
Cross.  As  those  who  are  to  be  engaged  in  the  great  work  of 
extending  the  boundaries  of  our  common  Master's  kingdom, 
what  labour  can  be  more  useful  for  them,  what  exercise  can 
promise  to  be  crowned  with  more  abundant  fruits;  than  the 
changing  of  every  ship's  company  into  a  worshipping  Christian 
family, — than  the  transforming  of  every  vehicle  of  commerce, 
or  of  national  defence,  into  a  floating  temple  of  the  Lord  of 
Hosts; — than  the  converting  into  true  living  members  of 
Christ's  mystical  body,  of  those  who,  either  by  the  irregularity 
of  their  lives,  may  counteract  all  the  self-denying  labours  of 
Christian  Missionaries  in  distant  lands;  or  may  themselves  if 
truly  converted  to  God,  become  the  heralds  of  salvation  to  the 
utmost  corners  of  the  earth?  As  intended  ministers  of  the 
Church,  how  can  they  be  more  usefully  employed  in  her  ser- 
vice, than  in  extending  the  knowledge,  the  love,  and  the  employ- 
ment of  her  heavenly  form  of  worship  among  those  who  are 
already  predisposed  for  its  adoption;  and  whose  natural  ardour 
of  spirit  if  directed  into  the  channel  of  devotion,  would  infuse 
into  it  that  animation  and  fervour  which  would  seem  to  be 
almost  all  that  is  requisite  to  render  it  the  pure  spiritual  service 
of  the  saints  and  angels  above/ 

A  year's  reflection  had  only  strengthened  the  conviction  that 
the  work  could  be  better  done  by  a  single  strong  organization 
combining  the  ripe  experience  of  the  members  of  the  elder  with 
the  energy  of  the  younger  Society.  There  seems  to  have  been 
a  departure  from  the  usual  custom  in  electing  the  officers  and 
standing  committees  at  the  annual  instead  of  a  subsequent  meet- 
ing. 

At  the  meeting  of  February  20,  1828,  the  Report  and  Account 
current  of  the  Treasurer,  which  agreeably  to  a  resolution  of  the 
last  meeting  had  been  handed  into  the  Standing  Committee,  were 
read.     It  appeared  from  them  that  the  receipts  of  the  past  year, 

I.  The  Twelfth  Annual  Report  of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Auxil- 
iary New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society.  New  York: 
Printed  by  T.  and  J.  Swords,  No.  127  Broadway.     1827. 


342  Eighteenth  Annual  Report.  [1828 

all  arising  from  the  interest  of  the  permanent  fund,  had  been 
$482,  and  the  expenditures  $800.75  5  ^^^  that  the  permanent 
fund  had  increased  $35,  and  amounted  to  $5,486.37  cents. 

On  motion  the  Treasurer's  report  was  accepted. 

The  Agent's  report,  which  had  also  been  handed  to  the  Stand- 
ing Committee,  was  then  read.  It  appeared  from  it  that  the 
amount  of  gratuitous  distributions  for  the  past  year  was  332 
Bibles,  and  712  Prayer  Books;  and  that  13  octavo  prayer  Books, 
from  the  Society's  plates,  had  been  delivered  to  subscribers  on 
the  terms  of  the  Society. 

At  the  annual  meeting,  February  26,  1828,  the  Eighteenth 
Annual  Report  of  the  Board  of  Managers  was  read  by  the  Secre- 
tary, and  adopted. 

The  committee  appointed  at  the  last  meeting  to  confer  with  a 
committee  of  the  Auxiliary  Society  on  the  subject  of  an  union 
of  the  two  institutions,  reported  that  they  had  had  an  interview 
with  the  said  committee,  and  that  arrangements  were  making  for 
accomplishing  the  object  of  their  appointment. 

The  committee  was  continued. 

The  Society  proceeded  to  the  election  of  ten  laymen  to  be  asso- 
ciated with  the  Bishop  of  the  Diocese,  and  the  Clergy  of  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  this  city,  as  the  Board  of  Man- 
agers for  the  ensuing  year.  The  following  gentlemen  were 
elected  : 

John  Onderdonk,  Richard  Whiley,  John  Slidell,  Henry  Mc- 
Farlan,  Henry  Rogers,  Richard  Piatt,  George  Dominick,  David 
Clarkson,  Isaac  Carow,  Thomas  W.  Ludlow. 

The  following  is  the 

Eighteenth  Annual  Report: 

As  stated  in  former  reports,  the  extensive  operations  of  the 
Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society 
have  so  occupied  the  field  and  means  of  usefulness  in  this  depart- 
ment of  Christian  enterprise,  that  the  managers  of  the  parent 
institution  have,  for  several  years,  principally  confined  them- 
selves to  the  care  and  proper  application  of  its  permanent  fund. 
Within  the  last  year  this  has  been  entirely  the  case.  The  greater 
number  of  our  subscribing  members  are  deceased,  or  removed 
from  the  city. 

We  are  unwilling  to  divert  the  public  patronage  from  the  truly 


1528]  Eighteenth  Annual  Report.  343 

meritorious,  and  eminently  useful  Auxiliary  Society,  by  efforts 
to  increase  our  subscribers.  In  this  state  of  things,  the  now 
pending  project  of  uniting  the  two  societies  was  formed.  In 
anticipation  of  its  successful  issue,  the  few  subscriptions  of  the 
past  year,  being  principally  those  of  gentlemen  who  are  also  con- 
tributors to  the  auxiliary  institution,  have  not  been  collected. 
Our  receipts,  therefore,  have  been  confined  to  the  interest  of  the 
permanent  fund ;  and  have  amounted  to  $482. 

The  fund  has  increased,  by  donations,  $35,  and  amounts  now 
to  $5,486.37,  together  with  about  $50  of  interest  due  on  deposits 
in  the  Savings  Bank. 

The  following  report  of  the  Agent  shows  the  distribution  of 
Bibles  and  Prayer  Books  for  the  past  year : 

The  Agent  of  the  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book 
Society  begs  leave  to  report — 

There  have  been  distributed  during  the  past  year,  to  the  differ- 
ent congregations  in  the  State,  306  Bibles  and  696  Prayer  Books 
of  the  appropriation  of  1827;  also  26  Bibles  and  16  Prayer 
Books  of  previous  appropriations;  making  a  total  of  332  Bibles 
and  712  Prayer  Books,  delivered  out  of  the  depository  since  the 
last  annual  report. 

There  have  likewise  been  delivered  to  subscribers,  upon  the 
terms  of  subscription,  13  octavo  Prayer  Books  from  the  Society's 
plates.  Henry  M'Farlan,  Agent. 

New  York,  Feb.  5,  1828. 

The  aggregate  amount  of  Bibles,  New  Testaments  and  Com- 
mon Prayer  Books  distributed  by  the  Society,  since  its  establish- 
ment in  1809,  is  15,447. 

In  the  month  of  August  last,  the  Board  of  Managers  had  the 
melancholy  pleasure  of  uniting  with  similar  boards  of  the  sev- 
eral sister  institutions  of  our  Church  in  this  city,  in  a  meeting 
■called,  at  the  suggestion  of  a  few  of  their  prominent  and  active 
lay  members,  for  the  purpose  of  expressing  our  respect  for  the 
memory  of  our  then  recently  deceased  associate,  the  Rev.  Cor- 
nelius R.  Duftie;  and  our  sense  of  the  loss,  sustained,  in  his 
-death,  by  religion  and  the  Church.  The  removal  of  such  men, 
■so  suddenly,  and  in  the  very  prime  of  life,  from  more  than  ordi- 
narily faithful  and  active  exertions  in  the  service  of  our  Grod 
and  Saviour,  conveys  to  us,  indeed,  a  most  solemn  lesson.  We 
would  derive  from  it  ourselves,  and  earnestly  and  affectionately 


344  Eighteenth  Annual  Report.  [182& 


commend  to  the  regards  of  our  fellow-members  of  the  Church,  a 
serious  warning  to  do  what  our  hands  find  to  do  of  the  work  of 
the  Lord,  with  all  our  might,  and  with  no  delay  which  our  means 
and  opportunities  will  enable  us  to  avoid. 
Signed  by  order  of  the  Board  of  Managers. 

J.  H.  HoBART,  President. 
Attest.    B.  T.  Onderdonk,  Secretary, 
New  York,  Ash  Wednesday,  February  20,  1828.* 

The  Thirteenth  Anniversary  of  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible 
and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  was  held  (in  conjunction 
with  that  of  the  New  York  Protestant  Episcopal  Missionary 
Society,  and  of  the  New  York  Protestant  Episcopal  Tract  So- 
ciety), in  St.  Paul's  Chapel,  on  Thursday,  October  16.  1828,  at 
7  o'clock  p.  M.  The  Right  Rev.  Bishop  Hobart  presiding,  ac- 
companied by  the  Right  Rev.  Bishop  Tnglis,  of  Nova  Scotia. 

The  Annual  Report  of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  this  Society 
was  read  by  Mr.  Floyd  Smith,  whereupon,  on  motion  of  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Reed,  of  Poughkeepsie,  seconded  by  Judge  Duer,  of  Albany, 
Resolved,  that  the  Report  just  read  be  accepted,  and  printed 
under  the  direction  of  the  Board  of  Managers. 

On  motion.  Resolved,  that  this  meeting  feels  undiminished 
confidence  in  the  active  zeal  and  untiring  efforts  of  the  Auxiliary 
New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  and  earn- 
estly hopes  for  a  continuation  and  extension  of  its  valuable  oper- 
ations. 

On  motion,  Resolved,  that  the  thanks  of  this  meeting  be  pre- 
sented to  the  Board  of  Managers  for  their  faithful  and  valuable 
services  during  the  past  year. 

The  general  meeting  having  adjourned,  the  Society  was 
organized  under  its  President,  William  E.  Dunscomb,  Esq. 

The  minutes  of  the  last  annual  meeting  were  read  by  the  Sec- 
retary, and  on  motion,  approved. 

The  Society  then  proceeded  to  elect  a  Board  of  Managers  for 
the  ensuing  year,  Messrs.  John  Evers  and  Cornelius  Oakley 
being  appointed  inspectors. 

The  following  gentlemen  were  declared  to  have  been  duly 
elected,  viz. — 


1.     The   Christian  Journal,  Volume  XII.  No.  4,  April,   1820.     Pages  Il8y 
119. 


1828]  Thirteenth  Auxiliary  Report.  345 

William  E.  Dunscomb,  President. 

James  F.  Depeyster,  ist  Vice  President. 

Benjamin  M.  Brown,  2nd  Vice  President. 

D.  A.  Cushman,  3rd  Vice  President. 

C.  N.  S.  Rowland,  Corresponding  Secretary. 

Charles  Keeler,  Recording  Secretary. 

Floyd  Smith,  Treasurer. 

Thomas  N.  Stanford,  Agent. 

Managers: — Richard  Oakley,  Philander  Hanford,  W.  A.  F. 
Pentz,  J.  Lawrence  Moore,  John  Brouwer,  William  H.  Hobart, 
George  C.  Morgan,  S.  Caldwell  Cleveland,  Henry  I.  Seaman, 
Lewis  Curtis,  J.  H.  Hobart  Haws,  Aaron  O.  Dayton,  Henry 
Cotheal,  Thomas  Browning,  Oliver  M.  Lowndes,  Robert  Gracie, 
James  M.  Pendleton,  M.D.,  James  Brown. 

Thirteenth  Auxiliary  Report. 

Pursuant  to  a  resolution  of  the  Society  at  its  last  meeting,  the 
Board  of  Managers  directed  the  publication  of  fifteen  hundred 
copies  of  the  Twelfth  Annual  Report,  several  hundred  copies  of 
which  were  distributed  among  our  fellow  Episcopalians  of  this 
city,  immediately  previous  to  the  delivery  of  the  Annual  Sermon ; 
the  residue  have  been  distributed  in  various  sections  of  the 
country. 

On  Sunday  evening,  the  25th  of  November  last,  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Ives,  the  present  Rector  of  St.  Luke's  Church,  rendered  a  most 
essential  service  to  the  Society,  by  the  delivery  of  an  able  and 
most  appropriate  sermon  for  its  benefit,  in  St.  John's  Chapel. 
The  collection  on  that  occasion  amounted  to  219  dollars  and  50 
cents. 

At  an  early  period  after  the  commencement  of  the  present 
year,  the  Board  of  Managers  ordered  an  edition  of  500  copies  of 
the  Bible  on  good  paper,  from  our  stereotype  plates,  and  250 
copies  of  the  New  Testament,  which  have  been  placed  in  the 
Depository:  which  has  also  been  liberally  supplied  with  Prayer 
Books.  The  Board  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Jones, 
Chaplain  in  the  United  States  Navy  on  this  station,  a  consider- 
able number  of  Prayer  Books  for  distribution  under  his  super- 
vision. We  regret  exceedingly  that  the  dangerous  and  pro- 
tracted illness  of  that  reverend  gentleman  will  deprive  us  of  the 
pleasure  of  inserting  in  this  Report  the  highly  interesting  letters 


346  Thirteenth  Auxiliary  Report.  [1828 

with  which  we  have  been  favoured  for  the  two  preceding  years, 
in  reference  to  his  distributions,  and  their  beneficial  tendency 
upon  the  minds  and  feelings  of  the  honest  tars  who  were  the 
usual  recipients  of  our  bounty.  Considering  the  naval  service 
a  field  of  operation  to  which  we  are  invited  by  the  many  and 
decided  evidences  heretofore  afforded  of  the  positive  good  we 
were  accomplishing  by  diflfusing  the  sound  and  evangelical  prin- 
ciples of  the  Gospel,  as  held  and  taught  by  our  Church,  among 
the  members  of  that  service,  we  have  at  all  times  considered  our 
Depository  as  open  to  every  demand  upon  us  from  that  quarter. 
And  it  is  but  common  justice  and  common  praise  to  say,  that  we 
have  been  most  zealously  and  faithfully  seconded  in  our  views  by 
the  reverend  gentleman  to  whom  the  government  has  committed 
the  spiritual  interests  of  the  seamen  and  marines  on  this  station. 
Among  the  subjects  claiming  the  particular  attention  of  the 
Board  of  Managers  was  that  of  procuring  the  publication  of  the 
New  Hymns,  and  their  addition  to  our  Book  of  Common  Prayer. 
It  was  an  effect  of  the  sale  of  the  copyright  for  the  new  hymns, 
that  those  persons  who  were  the  usual  recipients  of  our  bounty, 
were  deprived  of  the  gratification  of  their  use  during  its  continu- 
ance. This  deprivation  for  one  year  would  not  have  been  so 
great  an  evil,  but  a  question  fairly  arose,  how  far  we  should  be 
justified  in  their  publication,  seeing  that  a  copyright  must  be 
taken  out  for  fourteen  years,  and  that  the  remaining  thirteen 
years  was  a  reserved  right  of  the  General  Convention  of  the 
Church.  We  were  therefore  placed  in  circumstances  involving 
both  a  principle  of  morality  and  a  question  of  right.  Not  being 
disposed  to  violate  either  the  one  or  the  other,  and  yet  most 
anxious  to  obtain  the  liberty  of  publication  at  the  expiration  of 
the  year  for  which  the  copyright  had  been  sold,  we  appointed  a 
committee,  with  the  committee  of  the  General  Convention  on 
that  subject.  The  answer  to  the  letter  of  the  committee  was 
somewhat  ambiguously  expressed,  and  left  us  to  judge  for  our- 
selves. At  the  Annual  Commencement  of  the  General  Theologi- 
cal Seminary  in  June  last,  there  were  assembled  several  of  our 
Right  Reverend  Prelates,  whom  the  committee  felt  it  their  duty 
to  address;  and  had  the  satisfaction  to  receive  from  them  the 
expression  of  their  unanimous  opinion,  that  we  might  proceed 
without  either  the  fear  or  danger  of  incurring  the  displeasure  of 
the  General  Convention.     Thereupon  the  Board  immediately  or- 


1828]  Thirteenth  Auxiliary  Report.  347 

<iered  a  set  of  stereotype  plates  to  be  cast  added  to  those  of  the 
Prayer  Book,  and  an  edition  of  one  thousand  copies  to  be  printed 
therefrom,  so  soon  as  they  should  be  in  readiness  for  that  pur- 
pose. That  edition  has  since  been  completed,  and  many  copies  of 
it  are  already  distributed. 

Another  subject  has  commended  itself  to  our  particular  atten- 
tion, by  its  important  bearing  upon  the  future  interests  of  our 
Church.  The  rapidly  accumulating  business  of  the  General 
Protestant  Episcopal  Sunday  School  Union,  located  in  this  city, 
gave  rise  in  the  minds  of  some  of  our  active  laymen,  to  the  idea 
of  erecting  a  printing  and  binding  establishment,  which  should 
be  exclusively  devoted  to  the  interests  of  the  several  societies 
connected  Avith  our  Church.  The  plan  of  such  an  Institution 
being  suggested  to  our  Right  Reverend  Diocesan  and  several  of 
the  Clergy  and  Laity  in  this  city,  it  received  their  decided  appro- 
bation. An  Institution,  to  be  denominated  the  "New  York  Prot- 
estant Episcopal  Press,"  has  therefore  been  commenced  under 
circumstances  which  fully  warrant  the  belief  of  its  permanent 
establishment.  A  communication  has  been  received  from  its 
Secretary,  announcing  its  formation  and  object,  and  soliciting 
the  co-operation  of  this  Society  in  such  manner  as  might  appear 
most  expedient.  A  comfnittee  was  appointed  by  this  Board,  with 
instructions  to  report  fully  on  the  subject.  At  a  recent  meeting 
of  the  Board  of  Managers  that  committee  presented  a  full  and 
highly  satisfactory  report,  which,  together  with  the  recommended 
resolutions,  were  vinanimously  adopted,  and  ordered  to  be  in- 
serted at  length  in  this  report. 

The  Committee  to  whom  was  referred  the  communication 
received  from  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Press,  beg  leave  respect- 
fully to  report, 

That  on  the  sixth  instant  a  meeting  was  held  by  your  Com- 
mittee with  the  Standing  Committee  of  the  Press,  on  which  occa- 
sion your  Committee  received  a  full  explanation  of  the  plan, 
progress,  and  prospects  of  the  new  institution. 

The  Trustees  of  the  Press  have  it  in  contemplation,  as  soon  as 
possible  to  obtain  a  public  and  suitable  location,  on  which  it  is 
their  intention  to  erect  a  permanent  building  of  large  dimen- 
sions; to  contain  in  the  basement  story  a  Type  and  Stereotype 
Foundry;  in  the  first  story  a  Sale  Depository,  Rooms  for  the 
Meetings   of   Boards   and   Committees,   a   Library,   and   other 


348  Thirteenth  Auxiliary  Report.  [182a 

requisite  apartments;  and  the  upper  stories  to  be  appropriated 
for  a  Printing  Office  and  Bindery.  It  is  the  intention  of  the 
Trustees  to  let  the  basement  story,  and  such  other  parts  of  the 
building  as  will  not  be  required  for  their  own  purposes,  at  such 
rates  as  will  materially  diminish  the  expenses  of  the  establish- 
ment. 

From  the  representations,  they  have  no  doubt  that  the  Prot- 
estant Episcopal  Press  will  have  as  much  work  as  the  Institution 
will  require,  and  that,  from  the  nature  and  extent  of  its  arrange- 
ments, it  will  be  able  to  execute  its  printing  and  publishing  at 
lower  rates  than  have  hitherto  been  practicable.  The  sum  of 
three  thousand  five  hundred  dollars  it  appears,  has  already  been 
subscribed,  and  the  subscriptions  are  still  progressing. 

The  Tnistees  have  made  application  to  the  Legislature  of  the 
State  for  a  Charter,  which  they  have  every  prospect  of  obtaining, 
as  soon  as  the  application  can  be  heard.  The  title  of  the  proposed 
Institution  is  that  of  the  "New  York  Protestant  Episcopal  Press," 
from  which  it  will  be  perceived  that  the  system  of  religion  set 
forth  in  its  publications  will  be  consonant  with,  and  not  opposed 
to  the  principles  received  by  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church. 

Your  Committee  deem  it  unnecessary  to  enter  into  any  fur- 
ther detail  of  the  proposed  establishment,  as  all  its  plans  are  not 
yet  fully  matured.  They  rejoice  that  an  institution  which  prom- 
ises to  be  of  so  much  usefulness,  has  at  length  been  established, 
and  they  trust  that  this  Society,  and  all  the  other  Protestant 
Episcopal  Societies  and  Religious  Institutions,  will  hail  it  as  one 
eminently  calculated  to  promote  their  interests  and  increase  their 
funds,  and  thus  more  effectually  enable  them  to  spread  abroad 
the  light  of  divine  truth,  and  to  dispel  the  mists  of  error  and 
prejudice  by  which  it  may  be  obscured. 

Your  Committee  beg  leave,  therefore,  to  submit  the  following 
resolutions  for  the  consideration  of  the  Board : 

Resolved,  That  this  Board  feel  highly  gratified  at  the  informa- 
tion they  have  received  of  the  formation  of  the  New  York  Prot- 
estant Episcopal  Press ;  that  they  consider  it  an  Institution  which 
promises  to  be  of  great  usefulness,  and  one  by  which  the  pros- 
perity of  this  Society  and  all  the  other  Protestant  Episcopal  So- 
cieties and  Religious  Institutions  will  be  greatly  advanced. 

Resolved,  That  as  soon  as  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Press  shall 
commence  its  operations,  this  Society  will  extend  to  it  its  patron- 


1828]  Thirteenth  Auxiliary  Report.  S4^ 

age  and  support ;  and  as  far  as  the  powers  of  this  Society  extend, 
it  will  be  happy  to  devise  all  such  measures  as  may  tend  to  pro- 
mote the  success  of  the  proposed  Institution. 

Resolved,  That  a  copy  of  these  resolutions  be  transmitted  to 
the  Standing  Committee  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Press,  ad- 
dressed to  the  Rev.  William  R.  Whittingham. 

All  of  which  is  respectfully  submitted. 

Wm.  E.  Dunscomb. 
Robert  Gracie. 

October  8th,  1828. 

The  Account  Current  of  the  Treasurer  shows  the  receipts 
during  the  year  to  have  been  $680.13.  And  the  expenditures  for 
.all  purposes,  exclusive  of  $292.80  employed  in  the  publication 
and  sale  of  976  Prayer  Books  at  prime  cost,  to  have  been  $680.13, 
leaving  us  indebted  to  our  publishers  the  sum  of  $226.03.  As 
usual,  the  Society  have  sustained  some  losses  by  the  death,  resig- 
nation, and  removal  of  several  of  its  subscribers;  and  several 
new  subscribers  have  been  received  during  the  year.  The 
amount  of  available  funds  is  about  equal  to  those  of  the  two  or 
three  preceding  years,  with  the  exception  of  those  of  the  last, 
which  were  augmented  much  beyond  their  ordinary  amount,  by 
the  sermon  and  collection  in  the  different  Episcopal  Churches 
in  the  city.  The  Permanent  Fund  has  been  increased  from 
$1,027.73  to  $1,175,  by  the  accumulation  of  its  own  interest,  and 
the  Life  Subscriptions  of  Messrs.  John  Ferguson,  Thomas  N. 
Stanford,  James  N.  Wells,  and  Moses  Smith.  Six  hundred  dol- 
lars of  the  above  sum  is  amply  secured  by  bond  and  mortgage,  at 
seven  per  centum  per  annum,  and  the  interest  paid  quarterly  and 
with  punctuality.  The  remaining  $575  is  deposited  with  one  of 
our  first  commercial  houses,  at  an  interest  of  six  per  centum  per 
annum,  with  the  privilege  of  withdrawing  it  at  any  time  when 
an  opportunity  of  a  permanent  investment  may  offer. 

The  Agent  of  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common 
Prayer  Book  Society  begs  leave  to  offer  to  the  Board  of  Mana- 
gers, a  statement  of  the  distributions  and  sales  made  under  his 
direction  from  the  last  anniversary  to  the  present  time,  em- 
bracing a  period  of  ten  months. 

There  have  been  received  into  the  Depository  within  the 
period  above  named,  for  the  purpose  of  gratuitous  distribution, 


350  Thirteenth  Auxiliary  Report.  [182a 

500  Bibles,  250  Testaments,  and  1,279  Prayer  Books.    The  fol- 
lowing exhibits  an  aggregate  of  the  distributions : 

Testa-  Prayer 
Bibles,    ments.   Books. 

To  the  Orphan  Asylum,  House  of  Refuge,  and 

other  humane  institutions  in  the  city 20       12       30 

To  the  Chaplain  of  the  Alms  House,  City  Hos- 
pital, and  Bridewell,  for  the  use  of  the  poor 
objects  of  his  care 20  3a 

To  the  Sunday  Schools  in  this  city,  and  in 
various  parts  of  our  own  and  in  other  Dio- 
ceses       19      48     216 

To  the  Rev.  Cave  Jones,  Chaplain  of  the  Navy, 
for  the  use  of  seamen  of  the  United  States 
service   50 

To  sundry  persons,  for  the  use  of  seamen  in 

the  Merchants'  service 9  27 

To  Capt.  John  Orde  Creighton,  for  the  use  of 

the  crew  of  the  United  States  Ship  Hudson..      12       18       50 

To  Capt.  Elliott,  for  the  use  of  the  crew  of  the 

United  States  Ship  Erie 6  25 

To  the  Episcopal  Clergy  in  the  City  of  New 
York,  for  distribution,  including  a  donation 
of  48  Prayer  Books  to  aid  in  forming  a  Con- 
gregation at  Harlem 12       18       64 

To  various  Missionary  Stations  in  our  own  Dio- 
cese        13  399 

To  Clergymen  and  Laymen,  for  distribution  in 
the  States  of  New  York,  New  Jersey, 
Pennsylvania,  North  Carolina,  Ohio,  Miss- 
issippi. Connecticut,  Massachusetts,  Vermont, 
and  the  Michigan  Territory 38       24     349 

To  members  and  subscribers  at  various  times, 

delivered  upon  the  order  of  the  Treasurer..  ..45       14       26 

Distributed  at  the  Depository  to  indigent  indi- 
viduals         4       10       13 


198     144  1279 

During  the  same  period  the  sales  amount  to  50  Bibles  and  976 
Prayer  Books,  at  the  established  rates  of  the  Society.  Leaving 
on  hand  252  Bibles  and  135  Testaments. 


1828]  Thirteenth  Auxiliary  Report.  351 

The  total  number  of  volumes  distributed  gratuitously  or  sold 
at  first  cost  by  this  Society  since  its  fonnation,  is  forty-five 
thousand  five  hundred  and  twenty-six. 

The  Agent  reports  that  an  edition  of  i,ooo  copies  of  the 
Book,  with  the  new  hymns  annexed,  ordered  at  the  last  meeting 
of  the  Board  of  Managers,  is  in  considerable  forwardness,  and 
will  be  ready  unquestionably,  in  time  to  afiford  an  opportunity 
for  our  usual  distributions  to  the  clergy  during  the  meeting  of 
the  Convention  of  the  Diocese.^ 

The  allusion  to  the  formation  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Press  brings  into  notice  a  scheme  which  was  the  culmination  of 
long  and  earnest  planning  for  the  good  of  the  American  Church. 
The  great  results  achieved  by  the  English  Society  for  the  Pro- 
motion of  Christian  Knowledge  had  aroused  the  attention  of 
many  in  this  country.  One  clergyman,  the  Rev.  William  Barlow, 
then  of  New  Hampshire,  but  afterward  of  New  York,  took  up 
the  consideration  of  it,  and  urged  in  public  addresses  and  in  a 
pamphlet  which  was  circulated  in  the  General  Convention  of 
1823.  The  time  did  not  seem  expedient  for  a  general  society, 
but  New  York  laymen  considered  his  scheme,  and  finally  effected 
an  organization  which  they  expected  would  be  of  permanent  and 
growing  benefit  to  the  Church. 

It  was  as  editor  of  its  publications  that  the'  learned  William 
Rollinson  Whittingham  first  gained  distinction  and  gave  to  the 
Church  those  standard  works  which  informed  the  men  of  that 
generation  of  the  true  principles  of  the  Church.  With  it  became 
closely  affiliated  the  New  York  Tract  Society  and  the  Auxiliary 
Bible  and  Prayer  Book  Society,  as  will  be  seen  in  the  course  of 
this  narrative. 

The  meeting  of  the  Bible  and  Prayer  Book  Society  in  the  win- 
ter of  1829  was  evidently  a  gloomy  one.  No  report  was  pre- 
sented, but  evidently  the  negotiation  had  been  commenced  for  a 
union.  There  are  no  notices  of  this  meeting  among  many 
other  meetings  in  The  Christian  Journal.  The  report  for  1828 
is  the  last  formal  report  made. 

All  further  proceedings  dealt  with  the  prospect  of  renewed  life 
in  an  enlarged  Society. 

I.  The  Thirteenth  Annual  Report  of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the 
Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society.  New  York: 
Printed  by  T.  and  J.  Swords,  No.  127  Broadway.    1828. 


362  Annual  Meeting.  [1829 

New  York,  Tuesday,  Feb.  24,  1829. 

The  Board  of  Managers  met  in  Trinity  Church.  Present: 
The  Right  Rev.  John  H.  Hobart,  D.D.,  the  Rev.  WilHam  Ber- 
rian,  D.D.,  the  Rev.  Christian  F.  Cruse,  the  Rev.  Levi  S.  Ives, 
the  Rev.  George  L.  Hinton,  the  Rev.  William  Creighton,  the 
Rev.  George  Upfold,  M.D.,  the  Rev.  Benjamin  T.  Onderdonk, 
D.D.,  Henry  Rogers,  John  Slidell.  John  Onderdonk. 

The  minutes  of  the  last  meeting  were  read  and  approved. 

Resolved,  That  a  committee  be  appointed  on  the  State  of  the 
Society,  consisting  of  the  President,  and  two  clerical  and  two 
lay  trustees. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Onderdonk,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Wainwright,  Mr.  H. 
Rogers,  and  Dr.  John  Onderdonk,  were  appointed. 

Resolved,  That  all  further  proceedings  of  this  Board  be  sus- 
pended until  the  above  committee  shall  report. 

The  Board  adjourned. 

New  York,  Tuesday,  March  3,  1829. 

This  being  the  day  appointed  by  the  Constitution,  the  Annual 
Meeting  of  the  Society  was  held  in  Trinity  Church. 

The  President  being  absent  the  Rev.  William  Berrian,  D.D., 
was  called  to  the  chair. 

The  minutes  of  the  last  meeting  of  the  Society  were  read  and 
approved. 

The  committee  on  the  subject  of  a  proposed  union  between 
this  Society  and  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common 
Prayer  Book  Society,  appointed  at  the  meeting  in  1827,  and  con- 
tinued by  that  in  1828,  reported  that  the  subject  was  now  under 
the  consideration  of  the  Board  of  Managers.  Whereupon  the 
committee  was  discharged. 

The  Society  proceeded  to  the  election  of  ten  laymen  to  be  asso- 
ciated with  the  Bishop  and  Clerg)'  of  the  city  as  a  Board  of 
Managers  for  the  ensuing  year.  The  following  gentlemen  were 
chosen : 

John  Onderdonk,  John  Slidell,  Henry  Rogers,  George  Domi- 
nick,  Isaac  Carow,  Richard  Whiley,  Henry  McFarlan,  Richard 
Piatt,  David  Clarkson,  Thomas  W.  Ludlow. 

Resolved,  That  the  President  be  authorized  to  call  a  special 
meeting  of  the  Society  at  any  time  previously  to  the  next  regular 
meeting,  that  he  may  think  expedient. 


1829]  Fourteenth  Auxiliary  Report.  353 

The  Auxiliary  under  its  new  management  with  the  Press 
seemed  to  be  even  more  prosperous  and  to  devise  more  liberal 
things  than  formerly. 

Fourteenth  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Auxiliary  New  York 
Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  was  held  at  the  build- 
ings of  the  New  York  Protestant  Episcopal  Press,  on  Thursday, 
October  ist,  1829.  The  Chair  was  taken  by  William  E.  Duns- 
comb,  President  of  the  Society,  at  half-past  4  o'clock  P.  M. 

The  minutes  of  the  last  Annual  Meeting  were  read  by  the 
Secretary,  and  on  motion  approved. 

On  motion,  Resolved,  That  when  this  Society  adjourns  it  will 
adjourn  to  meet  again  at  St.  John's  Chapel  at  half-past  six 
o'clock  P.  M. 

Resolved,  That  the  reading  of  the  Annual  Report  of  the 
Board  of  Managers  be  dispensed  with  until  the  meeting  this 
evening. 

Resolved,  That  the  Society  do  now  proceed  to  the  election  of 
a  Board  of  Managers  for  the  ensuing  year:  Whereupon  Messrs. 
J.  Lawrence  Moore  and  Thomas  Woodhead  were  appointed 
inspectors.  On  counting  the  ballots  the  following  gentlemen 
were  declared  duly  elected : 

William  E.  Dunscomb,  President. 

James  F.  Depeyster,  ist  Vice  President. 

Benjamin  F.  Brown,  2nd  Vice  President. 

D.  A.  Cushman,  3rd  Vice  President. 

C.  N.  S.  Rowland,  Corresponding  Secretary. 

Charles  Keeler,  Recording  Secretary. 

Floyd  Smith,  Treasurer. 

John  V.  Van  Ingen,  Agent. 

Managers: — Richard  Oakley,  S.  Caldwell  Cleveland,  J.  Law- 
rence Moore,  Henry  J.  Seaman,  Henry  Cotheal,  William  H. 
Hobart,  M.D.,  Robert  Gracie,  J.  H.  Hobart  Hawes,  George  C. 
Morgan,  Aaron  A.  Dayton,  Philander  Hanford,  John  Brower, 
Lewis  Curtis,  Oliver  M.  Lowndes,  Thomas  Browning,  Meigs  D. 
Benjamin,  James  M.  Pendleton,  M.D.,  William  B.  Hall.^ 

On  motion,  Resolved,  That  the  Society  do  now  adjourn  to 
meet  again  at  half-past  6  o'clock  P.  M. 


I.     Subsequently    elected    by    the    Board  of  Managers  to  fill  the  vacancy 
•occasioned  by  the  resignation  of  Mr.  Thomas  N,  Stanford. 

(23) 


364  Fourteenth  Auxiliary  Report. 

Pursuant  to  adjournment  this  Society,  in  conjunction  with 
the  New  York  Protestant  Episcopal  Missionary  Society,  the 
New  York  Protestant  Episcopal  Tract  Society,  and  the  New 
York  Protestant  Episcopal  Press,  assembled  at  St.  John's 
Chapel  at  half -past  six  o'clock  P.  M.  The  meeting  was  opened 
with  appropriate  devotional  exercises,  conducted  by  the  Right 
Rev.  John  Henry  Hobart,  D.D.,  after  which  that  Right  Rev. 
Gentleman  took  the  chair.  The  Annual  Report  of  the  Board  of 
Managers  was  then  read  by  William  E.  Dunscomb,  Esq., 
whereupon  on  motion  of  Aaron  Ogden  Dayton,  Esq.  (who  in- 
troduced his  resolution  by  a  very  able  and  eloquent  address  in 
behalf  of  the  Society), 

Resolved,  That  the  Report  just  read  be  printed,  published,  and 
distributed  under  the  direction  of  the  Board  of  Managers  of 
this  Society. 

The  Right  Rev.  Chairman  of  the  Meeting,  after  being  again 
joined  in  exercises  of  devotion,  then  pronounced  a  benediction,, 
and  the  Society  adjourned. 

Attest:   Charles  Keeler,  Recording  Secretai^. 

Fourteenth  Auxiliary  Report. 

These  extracts  are  interesting : 

From  the  rapid  increase  of  population  and  of  new  settlements 
in  our  country,  the  field  of  operation  is  continually  widening, 
and  we  can  well  assure  those  who  are  disposed  to  contribute 
that  they  cannot  find  a  better  channel  for  their  benevolence  than, 
this  Society  affords,  for  we  have  generally  confided  our  Bibles 
and  Prayer  Books  for  distribution  to  the  Clergymen  of  our 
Church,  who  reside  among  the  people,  or  in  their  travels  become 
acquainted  with  their  wants,  and  are  best  able  to  relieve  them, 
for  until  their  wants  are  discovered  it  is  impossible  to  afford 
relief.  As  the  physician  in  the  distempers  of  the  body  pays  nc^ 
slight  regard  to  the  original  constitution,  as  well  as  to  the 
present  condition  of  his  patient,  so  it  is  the  privilege  and  the 
duty  of  those  who  are  engaged  in  instruments  in  restoring  the 
shattered  frame  of  humanity,  and  of  basing  it  upon  the  rock  of 
ages,  not  only  to  further  in  themselves  more  right  apprehen- 
sions of  the  true  nature  of  their  former  and  present  condition, 
and  of  their  future  exalted  destination,  but  also  to  hold  up  to 
their    fellow   travellers    that   map  which  not  only  exhibits  the 


1829]  Fourteenth  Auxiliary  Report.  366 

heavenly  country  to  which  they  are  journeying,  and  the  rest  laid 
up  there  for  the  people  of  God ;  but  also  points  out  the  old  path 
and  the  good  way  that  leads  to  that  rest,  and  guides  and  pre- 
serves the  erratic  footsteps  of  the  earthly  pilgrim  therein,  free 
from  the  pestilential  vapours  of  sin  and  the  manifold  tempta- 
tions by  which  he  may  be  surrounded. 

A  Committee  was  appointed  to  make  arrangements  for  the 
Annual  Sermon  and  Collection  for  the  benefit  of  the  Society, 
which  afterwards  took  place  in  St.  Paul's  Chapel,  on  the 
twenty- fourth  of  November  last,  when  the  sum  of  two  hundred 
and  eight  dollars  and  thirty-eight  cents  was  collected,  which  sum 
was  subsequently  increased  by  a  donation  of  one  hundred  dollars 
from  a  friend  of  the  Society,  under  the  signature  of  Y.  Z. 
(whose  charitable  hand,  though  concealed  from  us,  is  visible  to 
him  that  seeth  all  things),  making  the  total  amount  thus  re- 
ceived $308.38.  According  to  the  request  of  our  benevolent 
friend  and  donor,  the  one  hundred  dollars  contributed  by  him 
has  been  appropriated  in  the  distribution  of  Prayer  Books — 
fifty  copies  having  been  distributed  under  the  direction  of  the 
Chaplain  in  the  United  States  Navy  on  the  New  York  station, 
one  hundred  copies  appropriated  to  the  use  of  Sunday  Schools 
in  this  Diocese,  and  the  residue  of  the  Books  distributed  by  the 
Missionaries  in  the  remote  sections  of  the  State.  Our  friend 
Y.  Z.  has  well  observed  that  the  gigantic  efforts  making  in  other 
quarters  for  the  distribution  of  the  Bible,  call  loudly  upon  us 
to  extend  also  the  distribution  of  the  Prayer  Book.  The  de- 
mand for  Bibles  also,  on  this  Society,  has  in  consequence  been 

much  lessened. 

******** 

Your  Board  on  the  third  of  December  last  made  a  donation 
of  one  hundred  Prayer  Books  to  the  Domestic  and  Foreign 
Missionary  Society  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  the 
United  States;  and  have  been  favoured  by  the  Executive  Com- 
mittee of  that  institution  with  the  following  resolution,  adopted 
by  them: 

Resolved,  That  the  thanks  of  this  Committee  be  given  to  the 
Board  of  Managers  of  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and 
Common  Prayer  Book  Society  for  the  liberal  appropriation  of 
one  hundred  Prayer  Books  for  the  Society's  stations  at  Pensa- 


356  Fourteenth  Auxiliary  Report.  [1829 

cola  and  Tallahassee,  which  is  gratefully  accepted  by  this  Com- 
mittee. 

Your  Board  have  also  appropriated  fifty  Prayer  Books  for 
the  use  of  the  Church  at  Mobile,  which  have  been  very  gratefully 
received,  and  from  their  circulation,  together  with  some  Tracts 
which  were  forwarded  at  the  same  time,  some  benefit  to  the 

infant  Church  there  may  be  expected. 

******** 

In  May  last  it  was  announced  to  your  Board  that  the  Pro- 
testant Episcopal  Press  Association  would  commence  their 
operations  about  the  26th  of  that  month;  it  was  thereupon 
Resolved,  By  the  Board  (in  pursuance  of  a  previous  resolution 
pledging  the  patronage  of  this  Society  to  that  institution),  that 
when  the  Press  should  so  go  into  operation,  the  books,  plates, 
and  other  articles  belonging  to  this  Society,  then  in  charge  of 
the  Agent,  should  be  transferred  to  the  buildings  of  the  Press 
Association  in  Lumber  street,  in  the  rear  of  Trinity  Church; 
and  also  that  the  said  Association  should  be  the  future  publish- 
ers and  binders  for  this  Society,  provided  they  execute  the  work 
at  prices  at  least  as  favourable  as  those  heretofore  paid.  A 
Committee  was  charged  with  the  duties  imposed  in  the  preceding 
resolution  who  have  since  reported  the  due  performance  thereof. 
The  meetings  of  your  Board  are  now  held  at  the  buildings  of 
the  Protestant  Episcopal  Press,  where  a  convenient  room  has 
been  fitted  up  for  the  purpose.  We  congratulate  the  friends  of 
the  Church  in  every  State  on  the  establishment  of  the  Press 
Association,  where  ample  arrangements  have  been  made  for  the 
execution  of  all  business  that  may  be  offered,  and  where  any 
printing  that  may  be  required  will  be  done  on  the  most  reason- 
able terms,  and  we  trust  the  establishment  which  has  now  be- 
come permanent  will  meet  with  the  hearty  cooperation  and  sup- 
port to  which  its  manifest  utility  lays  claim.  The  only  cir- 
cumstance for  regret  is  that  the  change  of  the  location  of  the 
Society's  business  led  to  the  resignation  of  our  late  worthy 
Agent,  Mr.  Thomas  N.  Stanford,  which  your  Board  received 
in  July  last,  and  they  have  consequently  been  thus  deprived 
of  his  invaluable  and  gratuitous  services  in  that  capacity. 
Appropriate  resolutions  of  thanks  for  his  long  and  faithful 
services  have  been  passed  and  presented  to  our  late  Agent;  and 


1829]  Fourteenth  Auxiliary  Report.  357 

at  an  election  subsequently  held  Mr.  John  V.  Van  Ingen  was 
duly  elected  to  fill  the  vacancy. 

We  lately  authorized  our  Agent  to  purchase  from  the  Press 
Association  one  thousand  copies  of  the  Prayer  Book  and  five 
hundred  copies  of  the  Testament,  and  also  to  contract  with  them 
for  the  printing  of  five  hundred  copies  of  the  Bible  from  the 
Society's  plates;  two  hundred  of  which  to  be  bound  up  to  meet 
immediate  demands.  Our  Agent  has  since  reported  that  he  has 
complied  with  the  duties  thus  enjoined.  We  are  now  enabled 
to  procure  Prayer  Books  from  the  Press  Association  at  25  cents 
per  copy  from  our  stereotype  plates,  equal  in  all  respects  to 
those  hitherto  distributed.  We  have  placed  five  hundred  copies 
of  the  Prayer  Book  at  the  disposal  of  the  Executive  Committee 
of  the  Domestic  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society  of  the  Pro- 
testant Episcopal  Church  in  the  United  States;  to  be  drawn  for 
in  such  numbers  and  at  such  times  during  the  ensuing  year  as 
they  may  deem  proper;  the  thanks  of  the  Executive  Committee 
have  been  received  "for  this  very  liberal  appropriation."  One 
hundred  copies  more  have  been  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  Rev. 
Addison  Searle,  Chaplain  of  theUnited  States  Navy,  lately  ap- 
pointed for  the  New  York  Station — a  station  which  was 
formerly  occupied  by  the  late  Reverend  and  much  lamented 
Mr.  Jones,  who  was  eminently  useful  in  dispensing  the  bounty 
of  the  Society  to  the  objects  within  his  reach,  as  will  appear  by 
the  records  and  proceedings  of  our  Institution  (and  who  was 
also  distinguished  for  an  ardent  and  enlightened  attachment  to 
the  principles  of  the  Church  to  which  he  belonged).  We  are 
grateful  that  in  his  successor,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Searle,  we  may  look 
for  the  same  zeal  and  fidelity  in  the  cause  of  the  Society. 

From  the  Report  of  the  Agent  (which  may  be  found  in  the 
appendix)  it  appears  that  the  amount  of  gratuitous  distributions 
since  the  last  anniversary  have  been  as  follows:  218  Bibles,  157 
Testaments,  and  1,939  Prayer  Books;  the  amount  of  sales  from 
the  Depository,  at  prime  cost,  during  the  same  period  have  been 
3,272  Prayer  Books — ^making  the  total  amount  of  sales  and  dis- 
tributions since  our  last  Report,  218  Bibles,  157  Testaments, 
and  5,21 1  Prayer  Books — and  the  whole  number  since  the 
formation  of  the  Society,  51,112  volumes. 

By  the  Treasurer's  Account  Current  it  appears  that  there  have 


368  Fourteenth  Auxiliary  Report.  [1829 

been  received  into  the  Treasury  during  the  past  year  to  the 
credit  of  the  disposable  fund : 

From  Y.  Z.,  an  unknown  friend  of  the  Institution,  to 

be  expended  in  the  distribution  of  Prayer  Books. .  $ioo  oo 
From  collection  in  St.  Paul's  Chapel  on  Sunday  even- 
ing, the  24th  November  last 208  38 

From  Messrs.  T.  &  J.  Swords  for  50  Bibles  in  sheets.  25  00 

From  a  member  of  St.  John's  Chapel,  as  a  donation.  10  00 

From  subscribers 307  00 

Making  a  total  of $650  38 

There  have  been  paid  during  the  year : 

To  Messrs.  T.  &  J.  Swords,  the  balance  of  their  ac- 
count due  at  the  close  of  the  last  year $226  03 

For  296  copies  of  the  Prayer  Book,  purchased  with 

the  liberal  donation  of  Y.  Z 99  66 

To  James  Connor,  for  repairing  the  stereotype  plates 

of  the  Prayer  Book 41  88 

For  contingent  expenses,  including  insurance  on  plates 

and  stock   32  26 

To  our  former  publishers,  Messrs.  T.  &  J.   Swords, 

on  account  249  25 

$650  38 

The  Society  is  still  indebted  to  the  Messrs  Swords  for  bal- 
ance of  account  $88.10. 

The  Treasurer  takes  this  opportunity  to  express  his  thanks  to 
the  Messrs.  Swords  for  their  liberality  in  furnishing,  at  all 
times,  the  required  quantity  of  Prayer  Books  for  distribution, 
without  any  reference  to  the  means  of  the  Society  to  pay  for 
them. 

A  suitable  person  is  now  employed  in  collecting  the  arrear- 
ages due  from  subscribers. 

The  permanent  fund  at  the  close   of   the   last    year 

amounted  to $i.i49  23 


J82^]  Fourteenth  Auxiliary  Report.  369 

^ince    augmented    by    the    life    subscription    of  Dr. 

Samuel  W.  Moore 25  oo 

By  a  donation  from  a  "Friend"  by  the  hands  of  Mr. 

Jacob  Shatzel 50  00 

By  interest  on  A.  Wonnenburgh's  bond  and  mortgage.  31  50 
By  interest  on  $655.48  in  the  hands  of  Messrs.  Henry 

and  George  Barclay 39  24 


$1,294  97 

There  have  been  employed  during  the  past  year  $1,064.87  in 
the  purchase  and  sale  of  3,272  copies  of  the  Prayer  Book,  at 
prime  cost,  which  are  not  included  in  the  amount  stated  as 
having  been  received  to  the  credit  of  the  disposable  fund. 

The  Society  is  now  indebted  to  its  present  publishers,  the 
New  York  Protestant  Episcopal  Press,  the  sum  of  $296.57  for 
Prayer  Books  and  Bibles,  furnished  since  its  Depository  was 
transferred  to  that  establishment. 

An  arrangement  has  been  made  with  that  Institution  by 
which  this  Society  will  hereafter  derive  a  revenue  from  the  use 
of  its  stereotype  plates  for  the  Bible  and  Book  of  Common 
Prayer. 

Agent's  Report  of  Distributions  Since  Last  Anniversary. 

To  the  conductors  of  the  following  Sunday 
Schools,  for  use  and  distribution,  viz. — 

Christ  Church 62 

All  Saints'  Church 8  10         30 

Trinity  Church 4  6 

St.  John's  Chapel 8  54 

St.  Luke's  Church 6  36 

Schools  attached  to  the  Theological  Seminary  18  12         30 

St.  Mark's  Church 4  4          6 

St.  Stephen's  Church 12 

St.  Paul's  Chapel 6  6         24 

St.  Philip's  Church 3  3           6 

Grace   Church 2  6 

St.  Thomas'  Church 4  4          6 

63       51       266 


360                Fourteenth  Auxiliary  Report.  [182& 

To  subscribers,  on  acct.  of  their  subscriptions.       37  8         69 
To  clergymen  and  other  individuals  of  the 

city,  for  distribution 34  32       1 59 


134       91       494 

In  various  other  portions  of  this  State  as 
follozvs,  viz: 

Essex  County,  Rev.  D.  Burt,  Missionary 6       12         24 

Washington    Co.      Granville,    Rev.    Palmer 

Dyer,  Missionary 12 

Hampton,  Rev.  Moore  Bingham,  Miss'ary.  2         6         16 

Saratoga  Co.    Ballston,  Rev.  D.  Babcock. ...  6         12 

Milton,  Rev.  Mr.  M'Cabe i         2         12 

Schenectady  Co.      Schenectady,   Rev.   A.   P. 

Proal    2         4         12 

Duanesburgh,  Rv.  Mr.  Thomas 6 

Rensselaer    Co.      Lansingburgh,    Rev.    Mr. 

Whipple    4                   12 

Rensselaer,  Rev.  Mr.  Fuller 4                   32 

Columbia  Co.     Hudson,  Rev.  Mr.  Stebbins. .  6 

Dutchess  Co.     Poughkeepsie,  Rev.  Dr.  Reed.  6 

Hyde  Park,  Rev.  Mr.  Johnson 2         2           S 

West  Chester  Co.     Peekskill,  Rev.  Mr.  Ives.  20 

Bedford,  Rev.  Mr.  Nichols 12 

Harlem,  Rev.  Mr.  Hinton 12 

Yorkville,  Rev.  Mr.  Richmond 12 

West  Farms,  Mr.  Burtis 3 

Rev.  Mr.  Jelliff 12 

Rev.  Mr,  Crosby 12 

Kings  Co.     Brooklyn,  Rev.  Mr,  Johnson ....  3         3         20 

Orange  Co.    Goshen,  Mrs.  Wikham 6 

Walden,  Rev.  Mr.  Kingsbury 12 

Newburgh,  Rev.  Mr.  Brown 12 

Delaware  Co.     Delhi  and  Hobart,  Rev.   H. 

R.  Peters 24 

Broome  Co.    Rev.  E.  Punderson,  Missionary.  12 

Madison  Co.     Mr.   Fargo,  for  a  negro  con- 
gregation     12 

Oneida  Co.    Rev.  D.  Nash,  Missionary 32 


1829]  Fourteenth  Auxiliary  Report.  361 

Herkimer  Co.     Rev.  P.  J.  Whipple  and  Rev. 

W.  M.  Weber 

Cayuga  Co.     Rev.  O.  H.  Smith,  Missionary.. 

Steuben  Co.    Bath,  Rev.  Mr.  Bostwick 

Allegany  Co.    Hunt's  Hollow,  D.  Hunt 

Genesee  Co.    Geneseo,  Rev.  Mr.  Bayard,  Mis- 
sionary   

LeRoy,  Rev.  Mr.  Beardsley,  do 

Niagara  Co.     Manchester,  J.  D.  Veaux 

Monroe  Co.     Rochester,  Rev.  F.  Cumming. . 
Onondago  Co.    Skaneateles,  Rev.  Mr.  Hollis- 

ter,  Missionary  

Oswego  Co.     Oswego,  Rev.  Mr.  M'Carty... . 

Chataugiie  Co.    Dunkirk,  Mr.  Hopkins 

Jefferson  Co.    Rev.  Hiram  Adams 

Brownville,  Rev.  Mr.  Keese 

St.  Lawrence  Co.     Ogdensburgh,   Rev.   Mr. 

Todd,  Missionary 

Rev.  Mr.  Adams,  do 


To  sundry  other  States,  viz.: 
Rhode  Island,  Warren,  Rev.  Mr.  Bristed .... 

Vermont,  Woodstock,  Rev.  Koel  Clap 

Connecticut,  Pomfret,  Rev.  Mr.  Kellogg 

North  Carolina,  D.  Cameron,  Esq 

Rev.  Mr.  Byron,  for  a  destitute  congreg'n. 
Ohio,  Cincinnati,  Rev.  Mr.  Johnson 

Chagrin,  Rev.  Mr.  Freeman 

Ashtabula,  Mr.  W.  W.  Reid 

Delaware,  Wilmington,  Rev.  J.  Pardee 

New  Jersey,  Jersey  City,  Rev.  Dr.  Barry .... 

Perth  Amboy,  Rev.  Mr.  Chapman 

Newton,  Rev.  C.  Dunn 

H.  M'Farlan,  Esq.,  for  Monroe  Works. . 

Morristown,  Rev.  B.  Holmes 

Hope,  Mr.  Swayze 

Orange,  Rev.  Mr.  Whittingham 

Paterson.  to  Episcopal  Sunday  School 

Alabama,  Mobile,  Wm.  E.  Dunscomb,  Esq., 

for  a  new  Church,  Mobile 50 


4 

28 

4 

6 

12 
12 
12 

16 
12 

4 

24 
12 

12 
12 

6 

6 

6 

20 
18 

20 
12 

42 

47 

599 

30 
25 
8 
8 
12 
12 
12 
12 
18 

6 

6 

36 

2 

4 

3 

6 

24 
12 
12 

5 
4 

3dS                      First  Report  of  Press.  [1329 

West  Florida,  Tallahassee,  Rev.  H.  N.  Grey.  50 

Pensacola,  Rev.  A.  Searle 50 

P.  P.  Gallatin,  by  order  of  the  Board 50 


II         6      440 

To  Naval  Storekeeper,  Brooklyn 12 

Rev.  A.  Searle 82 —  94 

To  Soldiers  at  Bedlow's  Island,  by  the  Rev. 

Dr.  Milnor 35 

To  the   Chaplain  of  the  Alms  House,   City 

Hospital,  and  Bridewell,  for  the  use  of  the 

poor  under  his  care 6       12         32 

To  sundry  persons,  for  the  use  of  the  seamen 

in  the  Merchant's  service 3  11 

To  poor  persons  applying  at  the  Depository 

at  different  times 12         i         22 

To  the  Orphan  Asylum,  City  of  New  York. . .  13 

To  the  Rev.  R.  A.  Henderson,  on  account  of 

appropriation    to    Domestic    and    Foreign 

Missionary  Society 200 


Total  Bibles,  218 

Testaments,  157 

Prayer  Books,  *  1939 

It  will  be  well  for  the  Churchmen  of  this  day  to  know  with 
what  zeal  the  work  of  publication  was  entered  upon  by  the 
Press. 

"The  object  of  the  Society  which  the  Trustees  have  endeav- 
oured to  keep  steadily  in  view  is  the  diffusion  through  the 
medium  of  the  Press  of  the  blessings  of  the  Gospel,  as  it  is  ex- 
hibited in  the  doctrines,  the  worship  and  the  discipline  of  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  the  United  States  of  America. 
How  far  these  ends  have  been  hitherto  attained  let  the  history  of 
their  proceedings  tell."^ 


1.  The  Fourteenth  Annual  Report  of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the 
Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  read  before 
the  Society  in  St.  John's  Chapel,  October  i,  1829.  New  York:  Printed  at  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Press,  No.  46  Lumber  Street.     1829. 

2.  First  Annual  Report  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Protestant  Epis- 
copal Press.    New  York,  1829.    p.  5. 


1829]  First  Report  of  Press.  363 

*'From  the  Circular  which  was  issued  at  an  early  period  in  our 
proceedings  it  has  no  doubt  been  perceived  that  the  business  of 
the  AuxiHary  New  York  Bible  and  Prayer  Book  Society  and  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Tract  Society  of  this  city,  as  well  as  that  of 
our  General  Sunday  School  Union  and  other  institutions  con- 
nected with  the  Church  has  been  committed  to  the  Press,  and  the 
sale,  distribution,  etc.,  of  their  publications  placed  under  the  care 
of  its  agent.  The  most  important  aid  to  the  operations  of  these 
Societies,  especially  to  those  of  our  Sunday  School  Union,  is  rea- 
sonably anticipated  from  their  connection  with  our  institutions; 
and  to  all  similar  Societies  connected  with  the  Church,  the  Press 
is  offered  as  an  instrument  prepared  expressly  for  their  use."^ 

The  Sunday  School  Union  above  referred  to  was  the  outcome 
of  the  First-day,  or  Sunday  School  founded  January  ii,  1791, 
at  Philadelphia,  as  the  result  of  a  meeting  on  the  preceding  19th 
of  December,  of  twelve  earnest  Christian  workers.  Bishop 
White  was  President  of  the  Society  and  Matthew  Cary  its 
Secretary. 

The  Philadelphia  Sunday  and  Adult  School  Union  was  organ- 
ized in  1817,  a  year  after  the  New  York  Sunday  School  Union 
had  been  established.  In  1826  the  Rev.  William  Wilson,  Vicar 
of  Walthamstow,  published  a  Manual  of  Instruction  for  Infant 
Schools.  An  American  edition  of  this  work  was  published  in 
New  York  in  1830. 

It  must  not,  however,  be  inferred  from  this  brief  mention  of 
early  Sunday  School  organizations  that  the  Church  in  New 
York  had  neglected  her  duty  of  teaching  her  children.  Far  from 
it.  There  is  nothing  clearer  than  the  zeal  shown  by  the  Cate- 
chists  attached  to  Trinity  Church  in  its  early  days  to  ground 
children  in  the  principles  of  the  Faith  both  by  instruction  and 
by  open  catechizing  in  Church. 

The  older  institution,  the  New  York  Bible  and  Common 
Prayer,  was  still  at  work  as  is  shown  by  these  Extracts  from 
the  Minutes: 

At  the  meeting  of  February  3,  1830,  the  Treasurer  presented 
his  report  and  account  current.  It  appears  from  them  that 
their  receipts  during  the  last  two  years  (including  a  balance  from 
the  old  account),  were  $585.84  cts.,  and  the  expenses  $419.16  cts., 

I.     First  Annual  Report,  1829,  p.  8. 


364  Proposed  Union.  [1830 

leaving  a  balance  in  favour  of  the  Treasury  of  $166.68  cts. ;  that 
the  present  amount  of  the  permanent  fund  is  $5,686.89  cts. ;  and 
that  the  probable  amount  of  disposable  funds  for  the  ensuing 
year  will  be  $457.68  cts. 

The  Treasurer's  report  was  accepted,  and  that,  and  his  account 
current  ordered  to  be  placed  on  file. 

A  communication  was  received  from  the  Trustees  of  the  New 
York  Protestant  Episcopal  Press,  announcing  the  establishment 
of  that  institution,  and  its  readiness  to  execute  printing,  binding, 
etc.,  for  this  and  other  Societies  of  the  Church.    Whereupon, 

Resolved,  that  this  Board  has  heard,  with  much  pleasure,  of 
the  establishment  and  operations  of  the  New  York  Protestant 
Episcopal  Press;  and  that  the  printing  of  this  Society  be  here- 
after executed  at  that  Press. 

A  communication  was  received  from  the  Trustees  of  the  New 
York  Protestant  Episcopal  Press,  and  another  from  the  Board  of 
Managers  of  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common 
Prayer  Book  Society,  respecting  the  use,  by  those  Institutions, 
respectively,  of  the  octavo  stereotype  plates  of  the  Book  of  Com- 
mon Prayer,  belonging  to  this  Society. 

Resolved,  that  the  above  communication  be  referred  to  the 
committee  on  the  state  of  the  Society,  to  report  thereon  at  the 
stated  meeting  of  this  Board  to  be  held  on  Wednesday,  the  24th 
inst.     (Folio  139.) 

The  Board  met,  according  to  adjournment,  in  Trinity  Church, 
February  24,  1830,  when  the  Committee  on  the  State  of  the 
Society  reported — 

"That  measures  are  now  pending  which,  they  trust,  will  lead, 
in  a  short  time,  to  such  an  union  between  this  Society  and  the 
Auxiliary  Society,  as  will  secure,  to  the  equal  satisfaction  of 
both  parties,  the  most  efficient  prosecution  of  the  great  objects 
which  both  have  in  view.  The  Committee,  therefore,  ask  to  be 
continued  for  the  purpose  of  continuing  to  prosecute  the  meas- 
ures above  referred  to. 

"The  Report  was  accepted  and  the  committee  continued.'^ 
(Folio  142.) 

This  is  the  last  entry  in  the  minutes  of  Bishop  Onderdonk  as 
Secretary. 

In  the  following  letter  we  have  an  echo  of  previous  contro- 
versies. It  is  a  calm  and  temperate  brief  statement  of  the  posi- 
tion taken  by  conservative  Churchmen. 


1830 J    .  Letter  from  I.  L.  E.  365 


The  Bible  Society  Cause. 


Messrs.  Editors, 

A  late  number  of  the  Philadelphia  Recorder,  in  eulogizing  a 
speech  by  the  Rev.  Professor  Rutledge,  at  the  meeting  of  the 
Philadelphia  Bible  Society,  says,  "The  remarks  made  by  Mr.  R. 
were  listened  to  with  very  peculiar  satisfaction  by  us  Episco- 
palians who  are  upholders  of  the  Bible  Society  Cause."  Now 
this  is  an  improvement  upon  the  heretofore  common  phrase  of 
the  Bible  Cause,  which  has  been  unjustly  represented  as  a  divid- 
ing point  among  the  members  of  our  Church.  No  correct  and 
Christian  view  of  the  subject  will  justify  the  designation  of  any 
class  of  Episcopalians  as  favourable  to  the  Bible  cause,  in  contra- 
distinction to  their  brethren.  The  expression,  however,  "Bible 
Society  cause,"  though  better,  is  not  yet  quite  fair.  To  Bible 
Societies  none  object.  But  many  do  most  conscientiously  object 
to  any  religious  societies  which  have  a  tendency  to  keep  out  of 
view  the  principles  of  Church  union,  on  which,  it  has  been 
divinely  ordained,  all  the  objects  of  religion  should  be  promoted. 
Therefore,  such  Bible  societies  as  shut  out  all  regard  for  this 
divinely  appointed  mode  of  spreading  the  Gk)spel,  as  well  as  all 
similar  societies  for  religious  purposes,  are  not  approved  by 
many  Episcopalians.  They  are  not  unfavourable  to  Bible  socie- 
ties, but  to  amalgamated  societies,  whatever  be  their  object,  for 
which,  in  pursuit  of  religious  purposes,  the  Church  of  Christ, 
which  He  established  for  those  purposes,  is,  by  law,  or  custom, 
or  understanding,  excluded,  as  furnishing  the  principle  of  union, 
and  the'  rule  of  operation.  Let  one  step  more,  then,  be  made,  in 
reforming  unjust  modes  of  speech,  and  the  promiscuous  Bible 
Society  cause  be,  in  fairness,  stated  as  the  ground  of  difference. 

I.  L.  E.' 

In  the  fall,  at  the  Anniversary  Meeting  this  cheering  account 
and  report  of  the  Auxiliary  Society  are  given : 

The  Fifteenth  Anniversary  of  the  Society  was  celebrated  in  St. 
John's  Chapel,  in  connection  with  that  of  the  New  York  Prot- 
estant Episcopal  Tract  Society,  the  New  York  Protestant  Epis- 
copal Missionary  Society,  and  the  New  York  Protestant  Episco- 
pal Press,  on  Thursday,  October  7,  1830,  at  seven  o'clock  p.  m., 

I.    The  Christian  Journal,  Volume  XIV.,  No.  7,  July,  1830,  pp.  199,  200. 


366  Auxiliary  Meeting.  [1830 

the  Rev.  Thomas  Lyell,  D.D.,  in  the  Chair,  and  Charles  Keeler, 
Secretary.  The  meeting  was  opened  with  prayer  by  the  Rev. 
Chairman.  The  Annual  Report  was  then  read  by  James  M. 
Pendleton,  M.D.,  whereupon  on  motion  of  Mr.  William  B.  Hall. 

Resolved,  That  the  Report  just  read  be  accepted  and  printed 
under  the  direction  of  the  Board  of  Managers. 

Resolved,  That  the  increase  of  the  operations  of  this  Society 
as  evinced  by  the  Report  is  a  matter  of  gratulation  and  thankful- 
ness to  its  members. 

Resolved,  That  the  new  channels  of  distribution  opened  during 
the  past  year,  are  gratifying  pledges  of  future  usefulness. 

Resolved,  That  the  assistance  afforded  by  this  Society  to  desti- 
tute portions  of  sister  Dioceses  and  waste  places  in  the  extreme 
borders  of  our  Zion  must  tend  to  draw  closer  the  bonds  of  Union 
which  join  our  American  Episcopalians  in  one  faith  and  worship. 

The  business  of  the  evening  was  concluded  with  suitable  exer- 
cises of  devotion,  conducted  by  the  Rev.  Chairman,  and  the  So- 
ciety adjourned  to  meet  again  at  the  building  of  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Press,  on  Wednesday,  the  13th  instant,  at  7  o'clock 
p.  M.  for  the  election  of  officers. 

Pursuant  to  adjournment  the  Society  met  at  the  buildings  of 
the  Protestant  Episcopal  Press  on  Wednesday  the  13th  instant 
at  7  o'clock  p.  M.,  William  E.  Dunscomb,  President  of  the  So- 
ciety, in  the  Chair. 

The  minutes  of  the  last  annual  meeting  were  read  by  the  Sec- 
retary and  on  motion  approved.    On  motion  of  Mr.  B.  M.  Brown, 

Resolved,  That  the  Society  do  now  proceed  to  the  election  of  a 
Board  of  Managers  for  the  ensuing  year. 

Whereupon  Mr.  B.  M.  Brown  and  Mr.  Lewis  Curtiss  were 
appointed  inspectors  by  the  Chair. 

On  counting  the  ballots  the  following  gentlemen  were  de- 
clared duly  elected,  viz. : 

William  E.  Dunscomb,  President. 

James  De  Peyster,  ist  Vice  President. 

Benjamin  M.  Brown.  2d  Vice  President. 

D.  A.  Cushman,  3d  Vice  President. 

Charles  N.  S.  Rowland,  Corresponding  Secretary. 

Charles  Keeler,  Recording  Secretary. 

Floyd  Smith,  Treasurer. 

John  Van  Ingen,  Agent. 


1830]  Fifteenth  Auxiliary  Report.  367 

Managers : — Richard  Oakley,  S.  Caldwell  Cleveland,  James 
L.  Moore,  Henn'  J.  Seaman,  Henry  Cotheal,  William  H.  Hobart, 
M.D.,  Robert  Grade,  Aaron  O.  Dayton,  George  C.  Morgan, 
Oliver  M.  Lowndes,  Philander  Handford,  J.  H.  Hobart  Haws, 
Lewis  Curtiss,  Meigs  D.  Benjamin,  Thomas  Browning,  William 
B.  Hall,  James  M.  Pendleton,  M.D.,  John  Alystyne. 

Adjourned.  Charles  Keeler,  Secretary. 

Fifteenth  Auxiliary  Report. 

The  return  of  this  season  brings  with  it  the  period  when  the 
Managers  of  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common 
Prayer  Book  Society  are  required  to  lay  before  their  constituents 
an  abstract  of  their  proceedings  during  the  past  year.  The  occa- 
sion which  calls  us  together  is  one  of  great  interest,  and  of  some 
anxiety  to  your  Board  of  Managers,  as  in  rendering  an  account 
of  their  stewardship  they  trust  to  receive  your  approbation  for 
the  manner  in  which  they  have  distributed  your  bounty. 

Your  Board  think  it  important  to  direct  your  attention  to  the 
arrangement  entered  into  with  the  Press,  by  which  a  revenue  will 
be  derived  from  the  use  of  the  stereotype  plate  of  the  Bible  and 
Book  of  Common  Prayer;  from  this  arrangement  we  felt  war- 
ranted in  appropriating  a  part  of  our  Permanent  Fund  in  the 
purchase  at  a  cheap  rate  of  the  splendid  set  of  octavo  stereotype 
plates,  formerly  owned  by  Mr.  Henry  J.  Megara,  of  this  city, 
because  that  while  the  Society  would  receive  a  compensation  for 
their  use,  equivalent  to  the  interest  of  the  capital  invested  in  their 
purchase,  and  the  gradual  accumulation  of  the  capital  to  its  origi- 
nal amount,  it  would  also  afford  the  means  of  circulating  at  a 
cheap  price,  a  book  confessedly  of  the  most  clear  and  beautiful 
type  now  in  use. 

The  greater  facility  hereby  accruing  of  affording  a  more  ex- 
tended use  of  the  Prayer  Book,  whether  of  the  more  common,  or, 
better  description  is  deemed  to  be  fully  within  the  original  design 
and  scope  of  this  institution.  It  may  not  be  improper  here  to 
advert  to  the  important  advantages  which  this  Society  derives 
from  its  connection  with  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Press  in  addi- 
tion to  what  has  just  been  enumerated.  We  are  enabled  to  dis- 
tribute a  much  larger  number  of  Prayer  Books  gratuitously  than 
formerly;  to  dispose  of  those  which  are  offered  for  sale  at  a 
reduced  price,  and  at  the  same  time  of  a  much  better  quality. 


368  Fifteenth  Auxiliary  Report.  [1830 

The  grant  to  Bishop  Brownell's  mission  of  500  copies  of  the 
Book  of  Common  Prayer  has  been  well  received,  and  proved  to 
be  much  needed.  The  Board  have  the  satisfaction  of  stating, 
also,  that  great  good  to  our  growing  Church  in  the  South  and 
Northwest  is  resulting  from  the  measure  adopted  by  them  of 
furnishing  on  their  responsibility  a  supply  of  books  to  the  zealous 
and  active  clergymen  who  are  labouring  in  those  districts,  the 
Rev.  George  Weller  and  the  Rev.  Richard  Bury.  They  have  felt 
that  it  became  them  as  Christians  by  every  practical  means  to 
strengthen  these  outposts,  and  to  encourage  and  support,  by  every 
means  in  their  power,  the  faithful  men  who  are  there  stationed; 
they  have  therefore  done  all  that  with  their  limited  resources 
they  could  do;  they  have  furnished  books,  some  gratuitously,  and 
some  at  the  lowest  rates  of  sale — most  gladly  would  they  have 
done  more,  and  more  they  trust  they  will  be  enabled  to  do  here- 
after by  the  increase  of  contributions  to  the  Treasury  of  the 
Society. 

The  Rev.  Addison  Searle,  of  the  Navy  Yard,  Brooklyn,  with 
his  usual  attention  to  promote  the  objects  of  this  institution,  has 
distributed  among  the  seamen  and  marines  at  his  station,  and  on 
board  those  preparing  for  sea,  wherever  he  saw  they  would  prove 
useful  and  acceptable ;  he  has  also  obliged  us  by  procuring  from 
our  Depository,  and  personally  presenting  to  the  officers  of  ves- 
sels of  the  Navy  copies  of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  which 
have,  we  believe,  been  invariably  received  with  cheerfulness  and 
a  proper  estimation  of  our  object  in  placing  them  at  that  gentle- 
man's disposal. 

It  is  with  pleasure  your  Board  take  this  opportunity  of  stating 
the  obligation  the  Society  is  under  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Wainwright 
and  the  Rev.  John  A.  Clark,  for  the  able  and  eloquent  discourses 
pronounced  by  them  in  aid  of  the  funds  of  this  institution;  the 
pecuniary  assistance  thus  afforded  has  contributed  in  no  incon- 
siderable degree  to  augment  our  means  of  usefulness. 

From  the  report  of  the  Agent  appended  to  this  Report,  it  ap- 
pears that  the  following  have  been  the  gratuitous  distributions 
since  the  last  anniversary:  Bibles,  352;  Testaments,  384; 
Prayer  Books,  3,067 ;  Hymns,  875 ;  making  a  total  of  works  put 
into  circulation  and  gratuitously  distributed  by  this  Society  since 
its  organization  of  55,890  volumes. 


1 830]         -      Fifteenth  Auxiliary  Report.  369- 

Treasurer's  Report. 

,  By  the  Treasurer's  Account  Current  hereunto  annexed  as  an 
Appendix,  it  appears  that  the  whole  amount  of  money  received 
to  the  credit  of  the  Disposable  Fund  during  the  past  year  is 
$1,656.30. 

Of  this  sum  there  was  withdrawn  from  the  Permanent  Fund 
and  placed  to  the  credit  of  the  Disposable  Fund,  for  the  purpose 
of  being  invested  in  the  purchase  of  the  splendid  set  of  stereotype 
plates  of  the  octavo  Prayer  Book,  formerly  the  property  of  Mr. 
Henry  I.  Megary,  of  this  city,  and  in  a  set  of  stereotype  plates 
for  the  new  Hymns  of  a  corresponding  excellence  of  type,  &c., 
$716.25. 

Besides  this  sum  so  applied  there  have  been  paid  to  our  present 
publisher,  the  New  York  Protestant  Episcopal  Press,  and  for 
contingent  expenses,  the  sum  of  $936.05. 

It  will  be  observed  on  referring  to  the  Treasurer's  Account 
Current  that  the  Society  is  greatly  indebted  to  the  Rev.  John  A. 
Clark  and  the  Rev.  Dr.  Wainwright,  by  whom  able  and  eloquent 
appeals  were  made  in  its  behalf  in  several  of  the  Churches  of 
this  city. 

The  Permanent  Fund  at  the  close  of  last  year  amounted  to 
$1,294.94. 

Since  augmented  by  its  own  interest  to  $1,316.25. 

Of  this  sum  there  was  withdrawn  for  the  purpose  above  stated 
$716.25. 

Leaving  a  balance  invested  in  a  Bond  and  Mortgage,  $600.00. 

Revenue  from  Stereotype  Plates.  Our  publishers,  the  New 
York  Protestant  Episcopal  Press,  have  passed  to  the  credit  of  the 
Society  for  the  use  of  the  stereotype  plates  for  the  Bible,  the  Book 
of  Common  Prayer,  and  the  new  Hymns,  $317.50;  a  sum  equiva- 
lent in  value  to  twelve  hundred  and  seventy  Prayer  Books,  which 
have  been  added  to  the  Society's  ordinary  gratuitous  distribution. 

The  Society  is  now  indebted  to  its  present  publishers,  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Press,  the  sum  of  $386.71. 

At  no  period  since  the  formation  of  this  Society  has  there  been 
a  greater  and  more  constant  demand  upon  us  from  all  quarters  of 
our  vastly  extended  country,  and  your  Board  of  Managers  have 
uniformly  acted  upon  the  principle  that  would  best  consult  views 
and  feelings  of  their  constituents,  by  meeting  fully  and  promptly 
and  without  reference  to  the  present  pecuniary  ability  of  the 
(24) 


370  Fifteenth  Auxiliary  Report.  [183<& 

Society,  every  demand  upon  our  Depository.  Although  this  is  a_ 
junior  institution,  and  local  both  in  its  habitation  and  name,  yet 
to  its  praise  be  it  spoken,  it  is  the  chief  source  of  supply  for  tfie- 
Book  of  Common  Prayer  to  the  feeble  Churches,  which  arc- 
without  that  most  valuable  digest  and  summary  of  the  great 
truths  of  the  Holy  Book  of  God. 

From  the  foregoing  statement  of  the  Treasurer's  Report,  it 
will  be  perceived  that  the  Disposable  Fund  is  consumed  and  a 
balance  left  against  the  Society.  To  supply  this  deficiency,  and! 
for  the  means  of  carrying  on  the  future  operations  of  the  Societ3r 
in  proportion  to  the  rapidly  increasing  demands  for  its  benefac- 
tions, it  will  be  absolutely  necessary  to  make  a  regular  annuaf 
demand  upon  the  generosity  of  the  several  congregations  of  this^ 
city. 

Your  Board  cannot  for  a  moment  entertain  a  doubt  of  deriving^ 
additional  means  from  such  appeal  to  the  liberality  of  their  Epis- 
copal brethren ;  it  has  not  failed  them  heretofore,  and  they  trust 
in  Him  whose  Word  the}'^  are  engaged  in  distributing,  that  it 
will  not  fail  them  for  the  future.  The  claims  of  our  Society  upon^ 
the  kindness  and  liberality  of  our  Episcopal  friends,  arise  out  of 
the  very  object  which  it  proposes  to  effect — the  distribution  of 
the  Bible  and  Book  of  Common  Prayer — and  as  no  higher  object 
can  possibly  present  itself  to  Christians,  so  the  obligation  to  ren- 
der its  aid  and  assistance  should  be  more  generally  felt  than  it 
appears  to  be  at  present.  You  are  truly  engaged  in  furnishing; 
the  "one  thing  needful." 

Your  labours  are  contributing  in  no  small  degree  to  confer  that 
greatest  blessing  which  can  fall  to  the  lot  of  man,  the  formation: 
of  a  religious  character,  the  instilling  of  holy  and  divine  thoughts., 
and  in  subjecting  the  will  and  passions  to  the  correction  of  GckTs;. 
Holy  Word.  What  work  can  be  more  glorious,  what  more  con- 
sonant to  the  feelings  of  moral,  intellectual  and  accountable  be^ 
ings?  What  can  produce  more  delightful  emotions  in  the  human 
breast  than  the  consciousness  that,  by  our  means,  or  through  our 
agency,  the  immortal  and  everlasting  truths  of  the  Gospel  have 
been  put  forth  to  guide  and  instruct  mankind?  Happy  may  he 
consider  himself  who  has  a  share  in  this  noble  and  exalted  work. 

It  is  your  benevolence  which  places  in  the  hands  of  the  poor^ 
the  miserable  and  the  destitute  that  sacred  volume  and  its  admir- 
able comment,  the  Book  of  Cc«Timon  Prayer,  which  contains  such. 


1830]  Fifteenth  Auxiliary  Report.  371 

rich  promises  of  reward  to  the  virtuous  and  which  the  Christian 
with  songs  of  triumph  through  this  his  mortal  pilgrimage. 

If  you  could  follow  your  Bible  and  its  accompanying  Book  of 
Common  Prayer  into  the  remote  and  destitute  parts  of  our  coun- 
try, where  your  exertions  have  sent  it ;  if  you  could  there  witness 
the  hope  of  final  approbation,  the  prospect  of  relief  and  accept- 
ance in  that  dark  hour  when  mortal  aid  can  be  of  no  avail,  you 
would  rejoice  greatly  at  what  had  been  accomplished  and  make 
redoubled  exertions  for  future  operations. 

Your  Board  cannot  in  justice  to  their  feelings  conclude  their 
Report  without  alluding  to  that  afflicting  dispensation  of  Provi' 
dence  which  has  deprived  the  Church  over  which  he  presided,  of 
the  invaluable  services  of  its  late  beloved  and  lamented  Bishop. 
The  event  is  of  such  recent  occurrence,  so  fresh  in  our  recollec- 
tions, and  the  expression  of  grief  so  general,  that  in  expressing 
the  gratification  they  experience  in  reflecting  that  this  Society  in 
distributing  the  Bible  in  connection  with  the  Book  of  Common 
Prayer  is  acting  in  accordance  with  his  wishes,  and  following  the 
path  so  eloquently  pointed  out  by  him,  in  his  discourse  in  1816. 

In  thus  submitting  to  his  guidance  and  adhering  to  the  princi- 
ples of  Church  government  which  he  advocated,  we  shall  best 
evince  our  respect  and  veneration  for  his  character  and  services.^ 


I.  The  Fifteenth  Annual  Report  of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Auxil- 
iary New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  read  before  the 
Society  in  St.  John's  Chapel,  October  7,  1830.  With  an  Appendix.  New 
York:  Printed  at  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Press,  No.  46  Lumber  Street. 
MDCCCXXX.    8vo.  pp.  12. 


CHAPTER   XII. 

CONTENTS. 

Mourning  over  Bishop  Hobart's  Death  —  Resolutions  by  the  New  York 
Church  Societies—  Meeting  of  the  N.  Y.  B.  &  C  P.  B.  Society,  May  ii,  1832  — 
Committee  Appointed  to  Consider  the  Advisability  of  Amalgamating  the  Society 
with  the  Auxiliary  Society,  The  Tract  Society,  and  the  Press  —  Extended 
Growth  of  the  Auxiliary  —  Its  Sixteenth  Annual  Report  —  Its  Greater  Vigour 
than  the  Parent  Society  —  Anniversaries  of  1832  —  Report  of  the  Auxiliary  — 
New  Edition  of  the  Bible  Projected  —  Report  of  Chaplain  to  Congress  on 
the  First  American  Bible  in  1782  —  Resolution  of  the  U.  S.  Congress  — 
Liberal  Response  to  Appeal  for  New  Edition  of  the  Bible  —  Proof  Sheets 
Read  by  Mr.  Van  Ingen  and  Rev.  William  R.  Whittingham  —  Annual  Meet- 
ing of  1833  —  Eighteenth  Annual  Report  —  Appearance  of  the  New  Edition 
of  the  Bible  in  1834  —  Based  on  the  Folio  of  1616  —  Address  by  Dr. 
Schroeder. 

BISHOP  Hobart's  death  moved  the  hearts  of  people  as 
they  never  were  moved  by  the  death  of  any  of  his  pre- 
decessors. He  died  a  young  man,  full  of  energy,  sword 
in  hand,  the  very  type  of  the  Church  Militant.  It  was 
not  his  personal  character  that  had  aroused  enmity,  on  the  con- 
trary he  had  a  great  charm  of  manner,  but  it  was  his  aggressive- 
ness on  behalf  of  the  Church.  What  he  conceived  to  be  the 
Faith  of  the  Church  he  fought  for  with  all  the  stubbornness  of 
his  nature.  He  never  for  one  moment  minimized  or  compro- 
mised the  divine  claims  of  that  branch  of  the  Church  in  which 
he  was  a  Pastor.  It  was  this  aggressiveness  and  uncompro- 
mising spirit  which  made  men  like  William  Jay  oppose  him  with 
a  violence  and  vehemence  which  we  cannot  but  regret.  The 
Bishop's  interest  in  the  two  Societies  whose  history  we  are  con- 
sidering, the  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  So- 
ciety and  the  Auxiliary  Society  never  slackened.  He  saw  with 
prophetic  eye  the  value  of  a  wide  and  generous  distribution  of 
the   Prayer    Book   as    the    "Most  Effective  Missionary  of  the 

372 


1830]  Mourning  for  Bishop  Hobart.  373 

Church."  His  fight  for  the  continuance  of  such  a  distribution 
has  been  amply  vindicated.  No  Churclinian  now  doubts  the 
wisdom  of  that  distribution,  and  parishes  all  over  the  land  con- 
fess their  indebtedness  to  this  distribution  of  the  Prayer  Book 
as  the  means  whereby  they  have  been  able  to  grow  up  through 
extended  membership  into  strong  and  vigorous  parishes. 

Dr.  Hobart  died  at  Auburn,  the  residence  of  his  old  friend, 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Rudd,  September  12,  1830.  The  body  was  borne 
on  a  canal  boat  as  far  as  Albany,  and  there  transferred  on  board 
the  "Constellation,"  which  conveyed  it  to  New  York.  The 
towns  and  villages  along  the  route  all  displayed  signs  of  mourn- 
ing, and  the  procession  to  Trinity  Church  on  the  day  of  the 
burial,  a  mile  long,  passed  through  streets  crowded  to  excess. 

Through  the  courtesy  of  Trinity  Corporation  we  are  able  to 
give  the  minute  passed  on  the  death  of  the  Bishop. 

At  a  meeting  of  Lay  Members  of  the  following  Societies: 
The  Protestant  Episcopal  Society  for  the  Promotion  of 
Religion  and  Learning  in  the  State  of  New  York,  the  Trustees 
of  the  New- York  Protestant  Episcopal  Public  School,  the  New- 
York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  the  New- York 
Protestant  Episcopal  Tract  Society,  the  New-York  Protestant 
Episcopal  Missionary  Society,  the  New- York  Protestant  Epis- 
copal Sunday  School  Society,  the  New-York  Protestant  Episco- 
pal Press,  and  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  General  Pro- 
testant Episcopal  Sunday  School  Union,  held  at  St.  Paul's 
Chapel,  in  the  City  of  New- York,  on  the  evening  of  September 
i8th,  1830,  for  the  purpose  of  expressing  their  sense  of  the  loss 
they  have  sustained  in  the  dispensation  which  has  taken  from 
them  their  beloved  and  deeply  lamented  Diocesan,  the  late  Right 
Reverend  John  Henry  Hobart,  D.D.,  and  their  sacred  remem- 
brance of  his  virtues.  Mr.  James  Swords  was  called  to  the 
Chair,  and  Robert  Gracie  and  Richard  Oakley  were  appointed 
Secretaries. 

On  motion  of  James  Pendleton,  M.D.,  seconded  by  J. 
Stearns,  M.D.,  and  Mr.  Floyd  Smith,  the  following  resolutions 
were  offered  and  unanimously  accepted : 

Resolved,  That  the  afflicting  dispensation  of  an  all-wise,  yet 
most  gracious  Providence,  which,  in  removing  from  this  life 
our  late  revered  Diocesan,  has  deprived  his  family  of  a  most 
tender  and  affectionate  husband  and  father;  the  Church  over 


374  Mourning  for  Bishop  Hobart.  [ISaO 

which  he  presided  of  a  pious,  learned,  active,  diligent,  and  most 
faithful  guardian,  guide  and  overseer;  the  Gospel,  of  one  of  its 
most  able,  sound,  and  eloquent  advocates  and  expositors;  liter- 
aturie  and  science  of  one  of  their  most  distinguished  ornaments 
and  enlightened  supporters ;  the  community  of  a  most  estimable 
citizen;  our  country  of  a  most  sincere  and  devoted  admirer  of 
her  civil  institutions;  the  several  societies  here  represented,  of  a 
most  able,  faithful  and  successful  exix)under  and  defender  of 
their  principles;  and  ourselves,  as  their  individual  members,  of 
the  wise  counsels,  the  parental  guidance,  and  the  affectionate 
converse  of  an  unequalled  friend,  is  an  event  which,  while  we 
bow  in  humble  and  sincere  submission  to  the  mandate  of  the 
Sovereign  of  the  Universe,  who  hath  called  from  the  scene  of 
his  usefulness  our  greatly  beloved  and  most  deeply  deplored 
Diocesan,  fills  our  hearts  with  emotions  of  the  deepest  sorrow; 
yet  is  our  sorrow  soothed  and  mitigated  by  the  well  founded 
hope  and  the  reasonably  certain  assurance  that  he  hath  gone  to 
receive  the  commendation,  "Well  done,  thou  good  and  faithful 
servant,  enter  thou  into  thy  Master's  joy ;"  and  that  over  us  who 
are  left  there  is  till  extended,  to  support,  to  protect,  to  prosper, 
and  to  bless  us,  the  same  kind  and  most  gracious  hand  which 
gave  and  hath  taken  him  away. 

Resolved,  That  we  most  affectionately  and  tenderly  sympa- 
thize with  his  bereaved  family,  and  most  devoutly  pray  that  God 
in  his  great  goodness  and  mercy  will  comfort  and  console  them 
in  this  the  hour  of  their  deep  affliction. 

Resolved,  That  we  most  sincerely  sympathize  with  his  be- 
reaved Diocese,  and  do  most  earnestly  supplicate  the  Divine 
Head  of  that  Church  to  which  it  is  an  humble  but  honoured 
portion,  so  to  guide  and  govern  the  hearts  of  the  members  of 
the  Ecclesiastical  Council  upon  whom  it  may  devolve  to  elect 
a  successor,  as  to  prevent  division  and  dissension,  and  effectu- 
ally secure  that  peace  and  order,  and  happy  unity  of  opinion 
and  action,  which,  while  it  has  by  God's  blessing  upon  his  faith- 
ful labours,  so  eminently  characterized  the  Episcopate  of  our 
deceased  Diocesan,  will  be  the  best  and  most  sacred  evidence 
that  his  memory  and  the  principles  that  he  so  ardently  loved, 
and  so  perse veringly  inculcated,  is  duly  and  justly  appreciated 
by  those  whom  he  has  left  behind  him. 

Resolved,  That  we  hereby  tender  our  most  grateful  acknowl- 


;1832]  Meeting  of  Mny,  1832.  875 

■cfdgments  to  the  Rev.  Clergy,  the  Physicians,  and  other  at- 
tendants, who  with  such  unwearied  assiduity  and  tenderness 
.administered  to  the  necessities  of  their  and  our  sick  and 
'<lying  friend.  May  God  return  to  them  their  kindness  seven 
fold,  whenever  it  may  please  Him  to  lay  them  upon  the  couch 
of  sickness,  sorrow,  and  death. 

Resolved,  That  as  a  public  mark  of  our  constant  and  sacred 
recollection  of  the  virtues  and  good  offices  of  our  deceased 
Diocesan,  the  President  of  the  several  Societies  here  represent- 
ed, we  will  wear  a  crape  band  upon  our  hats,  and  upon  our  ami, 
in  the  usual  mode,  until  the  festival  of  Christmas., 

Resolved,  That  an  attested  copy  of  the  foregoing  be  con- 
veyed to  Mrs.  Hobart  and  family,  and  the  Rev.  John  C.  Rudd, 
D.D.,  and  for  publication  in  the  Auburn  Gospel  Messenger. 

Resolved,  That  the  proceedings  of  this  meeting  be  signed  by 
the  Chairman  and  Secretaries,  and  published  in  the  daily  papers 
-of  this  city,  and  in  all  the  Episcopal  periodicals  published  in  the 
United  States. 

James  Swords,  Chairman. 

Robert  Gracie, 

Richard  Oakley, 

Secretaries.^ 

The  records  do  not  give  any  minutes  between  February  24, 
1830,  and  May  11,  1832,  on  which  date  the  Board  of  Managers 
met  in  Trinity  Church. 

Present:— The  Rt.  Rev.  Benj.  T.  Onderdonk,  D.D.,  Rev.  Dr. 
Berrian,  Rev.  Dr.  Creighton,  Rev.  Mr.  Schroeder,  Rev.  Mr. 
•Cutler,  Rev.  Mr.  Richmond,  Rev.  Mr.  Forbs,  Rev.  Mr.  Haight, 
l^ev.  Mr.  Breintnall,  Thomas  W.  Ludlow,  Dr.  John  Onderdonk, 
Henry  Rogers,  Isaac  Careau.^ 

There  being  no  Secretary,  the  Rev.  Thomas  Breintnall  was 
.apppointed  Secretary,  pro  tern. 

The  minutes  of  the  last  meeting  were  read  and  approved. 


1.  Archives  of  Trinity  Church,  New  Yorlc. 

2.  There  appears  to  have  been  no  uniformity  in  the  spelling  of  names, 
It  is  "Carreau,"  or  "Carrow" ;  "Henry  J.  Seaman"  or  "Henry  I.  Seaman" ; 
"Frederick  de  Peyster"  or  "Frederic  De  Peyster";  "Curtiss"  or  "Curtis," 
and  so  on.  This  is  mentioned  here  to  account  for  the  lack  of  uniformity 
-in  the  spelling  of  names  throughout  these  records. 


376  One  Society  Advocated.  [1832 

The  following  report  of  the  Treasurer   was    then   read    and 
ordered  to  be  entered  on  the  minutes : 

To  Bishop  Onderdonk, 

Dear  Sir: 

The  balance  in  the  hands  of  the  Treasurer  of  the  N.  Y. 
Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  is  $30.40. 

The  permanent  fund  is  as  follows: 
Deposited  with  the  U.  S.  Life  Insurance  and  Trust 

Company   $1 ,669  14 

32  Shares  Eagle  Fire  Company,  cost 3,667  60 

10  do 598  60 


$5,935  34- 

The  dividends  on  the  stock  amount  to  $291.00  per  year,  and 
with  the  above  balance  of  $30.40  will  constitute  the  disposable 
fund  of  the  present  year. 

The  bill  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Press,  for  $717.28,  has 
been  paid. 

I  am,  with  great  respect. 
Your  very  obt.  Servt. 

Thos.  W.  Ludlow,  Treasurer. 
New  York,  May  11,  1832. 

On  motion  Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  three  be  appointed 
to  confer  with  the  Bishop  and  with  similar  committees  from 
the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  So- 
ciety, the  New  York  P.  E.  Tract  Society,  and  the  New  York 
P.  E.  Press  on  the  subject  of  the  formation  of  a  new  Diocesan 
Institution  which  shall  embrace  the  objects  of  the  above  named 
Institutions. 

The  committee  appointed  by  the  chair  consisted  of  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Creighton,  Rev.  Dr.  Berrian,  Isaac  Careau. 

The  Board  then  proceeded  to  the  election  of  a  Secretary,  and 
on  counting  the  ballots  it  appeared  that  the  Rev.  Thomas 
Breintnall  was  chosen  Secretary. 

The  Board  then  adjourned. 

In  the  meantime  the  Auxiliary  had  rapidly  taken  the  place  of 
the  older  institution  and  found  its  field  both  wide  and  attractive. 


1831]  Sixteenth  Auxiliary  Report.  377 

The  list  of  officers  and  report  is  found  in  "The  Churchman," 
founded  to  fight  pro  Deo  et  Ecclesia. 

Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book 
Society. 
Officers  for  183 1-2: 
Benjamin  M.  Brown,  President. 
Floyd  Smith,  ist  Vice  President. 
Henry  Cotheal,  2d  Vice  President. 
James  M.  Pendleton,  M.D.,  3d  Vice  President. 
Charles  N.  S.  Rowland,  Corresponding  Secretary. 
Henry  J.  Seaman,  Recording  Secretary. 
Richard  Oakley,  Treasurer, 
Thomas  Browning,  Agent. 

Sixteenth  Auxiliary  Report. 

The  Managers  of  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Com- 
mon Prayer  Book  Society,  in  discharge  of  an  annual  duty, 
present  themselves  before  their  constituents  with  a  report  of 
the  Board  during  the  year  which  is  just  past.  The  execution 
of  the  sacred  trust  committed  to  their  hands,  fraught,  as  it  is, 
with  unspeakable  satisfaction,  is  rendered  still  more  interesting 
by  the  anticipation  of  that  regularly  returning  period  at  which 
they  are  to  recount  to  those  whose  bounty  they  dispense  the 
progress  and  effect  of  their  exertions.  They  rejoice,  too  in  the 
opportunity  which  the  occasion  affords  them  of  pressing  upon 
the  attention  and  patronage  of  the  friends  of  religion  and  the 
Church,  the  continual  claims  of  an  institution,  founded  in  the 
purest  of  all  charity — that  of  diffusing  among  the  poor  of  this 
world  the  means  by  which  they  may  secure  the  riches  of  life 
and  immortality. 

The  moneys  which  have  come  into  the  hands  of  the  Mana- 
gers since  the  last  anniversary  are  about  equal  in  amount  to 
those  received  in  the  preceding  year,  and  have  been  faithfully 
and  carefully  applied  to  the  purpose  for  which  they  were  given, 
but  as  part  of  them  were  necessarily  expended  in  the  discharge 
of  a  previous  debt,  the  distributions  have  been  more  limited  than 
usual,  and  have  fallen  far  short  of  the  wants  and  demands  of 
the  community.  The  applications  for  the  Book  of  Common 
Prayer  are  unceasing,  and  it  is  greatly  to  be  regretted  that  the 


87S  Sixteenth  Auxiliary  Report.  [1831 

means  afforded  to  the  Society  of  meeting  these  applications 
bear  so  small  a  proportion  to  the  importance  of  the  object  or 
the  wealth  of  our  community.  With  the  petitions  of  the  poor 
and  destitute  yet  sounding  in  our  ears,  we  appeal  with  heart- felt 
earnestness  to  our  Episcopal  brethren,  who  are  blessed  with 
the  regular  services  of  the  Church,  and  whose  devotions  ascend 
to  the  Throne  of  Grace  in  the  unequalled  language  of  our 
Liturgy,  and  entreat  them  to  remember  the  thousands  who  are 
scattered  over  the  vast  extent  of  our  country,  to  whom  these 
sources  have  long  been  unknown,  and  who  would  receive  with 
tears  of  joy  and  gratitude  the  treasures  which  are  contained  in 
that  book  out  of  which  their  fathers  or  themselves,  perhaps,  in 
better  days  were  privileged  to  worship. 

We  entreat  them  to  remember  the  infant  congregations  which 
are  fast  springing  into  existence  in  the  remote  parts  of  our 
own  diocese,  and  the  numerous  individuals  more  immediately 
about  us  to  whom  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  would  be  an 
acquisition  as  acceptable  as  it  would  be  edifying.  It  appears  by 
the  statement  of  the  Agent,  which  is  annexed  to  this  report,  that 
the  Society  has  distributed  during  the  past  year  three  hundred 
and  twenty-eight  Bibles,  one  hundred  and  eighty-one  Testa- 
ments, two  thousand  two  hundred  and  forty-five  Prayer  Books, 
and  one  hundred  and  thirty-seven  copies  of  the  Book  of  Hymns. 

The  whole  number  of  volumes  which  have  been  put  into  cir- 
culation since  the  organization  of  the  Society  is  fifty-eight 
thousand  seven  hundred  and  eighty-one. 

It  has  been  heretofore  stated  in  our  annual  reports — and  to 
prevent  the  possibility  of  misapprehension,  we  repeat  the  re- 
mark, that  the  great  disparity  in  the  number  of  Bibles  and 
Prayer  Books  distributed  by  the  Society,  is  owing  entirely  to  the 
inequality  of  the  demand.  This  inequality  is  accounted  for  by 
the  existence  of  numerous  Bible  Societies,  while  ours  is  the  only 
association  in  the  country  for  the  circulation  of  the  Book  of 
Common  Prayer,  whose  operations  are  not  confined  to  a  very 
limited  sphere.  It  will  be  seen  by  the  report  of  the  agent,  that 
this  Society,  although  nominally  local  and  auxiliary,  has  ex- 
tended its  distributions  during  the  past  year  into  twenty-seven 
counties  of  our  own  State,  and  into  eleven  other  States  of  the 
Union,  besides  the  territory  of  Michigan,  the  distant  island  of 
Hayti,  and  the  more  distant  colony  of  Liberia.     It  is  a  question 


1831]  Sixteenth  Auxiliary  Report.  879 

worthy  of  the  most  serious  consideration,  whether  the  usefulness 
of  the  institution  would  not  be  greatly  increased  by  throwing  off 
its  local  and  auxiliary  character,  and  relaying  its  foundations 
upon  a  more  extended  plan  with  a  view  of  multiplying  the 
sources  of  its  income,  and  enlarging  the  compass  of  its  opera- 
taotii.  Nothing  is  so  essential  to  the  establishment  and  growth 
of  our  Church  as  the  wide  dissemination  of  the  liojk  oi  Com- 
mon Prayer.  Without  it  the  labours  of  the  missionaries  are  de- 
prived of  very  much  of  their  efficacy.  It  is  itself  a  most  efficient 
missionary — addressing  itself  to  the  understanding  and  the  heart 
in  the  most  forcible  and  touching  language,  and  exerting  an  al- 
im)St  irresistible  influence  over  the  mind  of  the  sober  inquirer 
after  evangelical  truth.  In  the  circulation  of  this  invaluable 
summary  of  doctrine,  discipline,  and  worship,  it  is  most  desirable 
that  the  efforts  of  Episcopalians  should  be  concentrated, — that 
there  should  be  a  confluence  of  the  various  means  of  Episcopal 
bounty,  to  be  distributed  wherever  their  refreshing  and  fertil- 
izing influence  might  be  most  needed. 

By  the  Treasurer's  Report  it  appears  that  the  Permanent 
Fund  of  the  Society,  which  at  the  last  anniversary  amounted  to 
$1,316.25,  has  been  increased  to  $1,549.94.  Of  this  sum  $600 
are  loaned  upon  bond  and  motgage  and  $716.25  invested  in 
stereotype  plates  of  the  octavo  Book  of  Common  Prayer.  The 
balance  of  $233.69  is  deposited  at  interest  with  the  Trustees  of 
the  Protestant  Episcopal  Press.  The  addition  just  mentioned, 
has  arisen  in  part  from  interest  on  the  bond,  and  from  the  price 
paid  by  the  Press  for  the  use  of  the  plates  belonging  to  the 
Fund.  For  one  hundred  dollars  of  the  increase  we  are  indebted 
to  the  pious  liberality  of  the  ladies  of  St.  Paul's  Cliapel ;  who 
have  recently  constituted  the  Right  Rev.  Bishop  of  the  Diocese 
and  the  Rector  and  assistant  minister  of  Trinity  Church,  life 
members  of  the  Society.  While  we  express  our  grateful  sense 
of  their  generous  contribution,  we  do  but  justice  to  the  charity 
and  religious  zeal  of  the  sex,  when  we  anticipate  the  imitation 
of  so  praise-worthy  an  example  by  the  ladies  of  other  congre- 
gations. The  sum  received  by  the  Treasurer  to  the  credit  of  the 
Disposable  Fund  is  $1,000.49.  Of  this  sum  $217.75  have  been 
paid  in  by  subscribers,  $76.88  have  been  derived  from  dona- 
tions; $75  have  arisen  from  the  use  of  our  i8mo  stereotype 
plates  by  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Press,  and  $630.86  have  b«en 


380  Sixteenth  Auxiliary  Report.  [1831 

collected  in  various  churches,  after  sermons  by  Rev.  Dr.  Wain- 
wright,  the  present  Bishop  of  North  Carolina,  and  the  Rev. 
Messrs.  Breintnall,  Richmond,  Bayard,  and  John  A.  Clark,  to 
whom  the  Society  is  indebted  for  their  able  and  successful 
efforts  in  our  behalf. 

The  Board  of  Managers  must  be  permitted  to  indulge  their 
feelings  by  a  public  acknowledgment  of  the  liberal  gift  of  fifty 
dollars  to  this  fund  in  the  course  of  the  year  by  Mr.  Jacob 
Shatzel,  whose  name  stands  high  on  the  list  of  benefactors  of 
our  religious  institutions. 

The  whole  of  the  Disposable  Fund  has  been  exhausted,  and 
a  debt  moreover  of  $679.22,  has  been  contracted  with  our  pub- 
lishers; we  must  therefore  again  resort  to  the  unfailing  benev- 
olence of  our  friends  for  the  means  of  relieving  us  from  our 
present  responsibility,  and  of  continuing  our  operations  through 
the  coming  year. 

Under  a  lively  recollection  of  past  liberality,  and  with  a  firm 
reliance  upon  the  blessings  of  heaven  upon  so  sacred  an  enterprise,. 
we  make  our  annual  appeal  for  aid  with  a  confidence  that  never 
falters.  Notwithstanding  the  stupendous  exertions  to  dis- 
tribute the  Word  of  Life,  which  will  mark  the  present  as  a 
memorable  age  in  the  history  of  Christianity,  and  which  would 
seem  even  to  the  sober  mind,  to  indicate  the  dawn  of  that  bright 
and  glorious  day  which  the  inspired  volume  teaches  us  to  ex- 
pect— there  are  yet  many  even  in  Christian  countries  to  whose 
eyes  the  pages  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ  are  scarcely  more  familiar 
than  the  Koran  of  Mahomet,  or  the  Vedas  of  Hindostan. 
What  has  been  already  done  in  this  holy  cause,  instead  of 
abating  our  ardor,  should  have  the  effect  of  increasing  our  zeal, 
and  stimulating  us  to  more  energetic  action.  "There  is  no  dis- 
charge in  this  war,"  until  the  strongholds  of  irreligion  and  in- 
fidelity are  broken  up,  and  the  banner  of  the  cross  waves 
throughout  the  world. 

Following  in  this  respect,  we  humbly  believe,  the  practice  and 
precepts  of  the  Founder  of  our  religion,  we  go  forth  to  the  con- 
test anned  with  these  weapons,  the  Word  and  the  Church  of 
God.  While  we  regard  and  reverence  the  Bible  as  containing 
"all  things  necessary  to  salvation,"  and  while  we  rejoice  in  the 
successes  of  our  brethren,  who  differing  from  us  in  sentiment^ 
deem  them  duly  best  discharged  by  a  distribution  of  the  holy 


1831]  Sixteenth  Auxiliary  Report.  381 

volume,  without  note  or  comment;  we  know  how  to  reconcile 
respect  for  their  persons  and  charity  for  their  motives,  with  a 
firm  and  uncompromising  adherence  to  the  principle  upon  which 
our  Society  is  founded,  when  we  distribute  the  Book  of  Com- 
mon Prayer  in  connection  with  the  Scriptures,^  we  thus  dis- 
charge a  duty  which  all  other  denominations  of  Christians  ac- 
knowledge, and  which  though  in  a  different  way  they  too  per- 
form. We  disseminate  our  own  peculiar  views  of  evangelical 
truth.  What  we  do  conjointly,  they  do  separately.  We  accom- 
pany the  Scriptures  by  our  exposition  of  their  contents — they 
send  forth  the  Scriptures  first,  and  afterward  follow  them  with 
missionary  sermons,  tracts,  and  commentaries,  presenting  their 
various  modes  of  construction.  If  the  naked  question  be  pro- 
posed, whether  the  Bible,  although  wholly  derived  from  inspira- 
tion as  its  source,  yet  made  up  as  it  is  of  the  writings  of  various 
individuals  in  different  ages  of  the  world,  addressed  in  the  first 
instance  to  people  of  diversified  customs  and  habits,  and  trans- 
lated from  language  to  language,  could  be  well  understood  upon 
the  unassisted  perusal  of  an  unlettered  man.  as  if  it  were  accom- 
panied by  the  explanations  and  illustrations  which  are  afforded 
to  us  by  the  accumulated  learning  of  a  thousand  generations; 
there  is  no  one  of  whatever  persuasion  who  has  the  exercise  of 
his  reason,  but  must  answer  in  the  negative.  When  Philip 
directed  by  the  Spirit  of  God  inquired  of  the  Eunuch,  who  read 
Esaias,  the  Prophet,  "Understandest  thou  what  thou  readest?" 
the  reply  was,  "How  can  I  except  some  man  should  guide  me?" 
Then  "Philip  opened  his  mouth  and  began  at  the  same  Scripture 
and  preached  unto  him  Jesus." 

Where  then  the  choice  is  in  our  power  to  deliver  the  Bible 
alone  or  with  the  addition  of  such  means  as  we  possess  of  under- 
standing its  contents,  we  cannot  hesitate  in  adopting  the  latter 
course. 

Whether  the  exposition  should  accompany  the  sacred  volume, 
or  follow  it,  resolves  itself  as  between  us  and  other  denominations 
of  Christians  into  a  mere  question  of  policy.  But  when  we 
address  ourselves  to  Episcopalians  we  claim  their  support  upon 


I.  Although  a  joint  distribution  of  the  Bible  and  Book  of  Common  Prayer 
is  preferred  by  the  Society,  yet,  where  both  are  not  wanted,  either  is  given 
separately,  and  donations  will  be  separately  appropriated  when  so  directed 
by  the  donors. 


a82  Sixteenth  Auxiliary  Report.  [1831 

other  and  higher  ground.  We  include  in  our  appeal  the  numer- 
ous and  respectable  number  of  our  communion,  whose  sense  of 
duty  or  expediency  has  led  them  to  unite  with  other  sects  in  the 
circulation  of  the  Scriptures  alone,  but  whose  attachment  we 
trust  is  not  thereby  diminished  to  the  distinguishing  tenets  of 
the  Society  of  Christians  to  which  they  profess  to  belong.  We 
do  not  ask  the  exclusive  patronage  of  such,  but  we  would  impress 
upon  all  who  believe  in  the  divine  institution  of  a  visible  Church, 
the  existence  of  which  depends  upon  the  due  administration  of 
the  Sacraments  by  a  ministry  deriving  their  authority  from 
Christ,  their  Head  through  a  line  of  Bishops  in  regular  Apos- 
tolic succession,  the  solemn  obligation  under  which  they  lie  to 
extend  to  others  the  inestimable  privileges  which  they  in  this 
respect  enjoy.  The  Church  to  which  we  belong,  "built,"  as  it 
unquestionably  is,  "upon  one  foundation  of  the  Apostles  and 
prophets,  Jesus  Christ  himself  being  the  chief  corner  stone,"  has 
a  value  infinitely  beyond  that  of  any  human  institution.  Pos- 
sessing a  ministry  of  undisputed  authority,  and  holding  fast  to 
the  pure  doctrines  of  primitive  Christianity,  uncorrupted  by  the 
superstition  and  heresies  by  which  from  age  to  age  she  has  been 
surrounded  and  assailed ;  offering  up  her  prayers  and  praise  to 
God,  in  the  fervent  and  sublime  language  of  a  Liturgy  which 
surpasses  all  uninspired  composition; — regulated  by  a  system  of 
discipline  which  ensures  order  and  sobriety  in  the  midst  of  en- 
thusiasm and  extravagance; — observing  a  ritual  at  once  simple 
and  imposing;  consecrated  and  endeared  by  the  the  sufferings 
and  death  of  a  "noble  army  of  martyrs,"  and  the  pious  exam- 
ples of  a  long  line  of  "holy  and  humble  men  of  heart,"  who  have 
ascended  from  her  bosom  to  the  Church  triumphant  in  Heaven; 
our  exertion  in  her  cause  should  be  in  some  measure  propor- 
tioned to  her  exalted  character  and  to  the  high  destiny  which 
we  humbly  trust  in  Providence  awaits  her. 

It  is  the  extension  of  this  Church,  together  with  the  Revela- 
tion of  its  Divine  Founder,  to  which  our  labours  are  directed; 
and  for  which  we  earnestly  solicit  the  benefactions  of  the  char- 
itable members  of  our  Communion.  Is  there — can  there  be  one 
who  feels  in  his  own  heart  the  blessed  influences  of  our  holy 
religion,  sanctifying  him  in  prosperity,  and  affording  him  the 
comfortable  assurance  of  final  exaltation  to  the  same  place  where 
his  Saviour  Christ  has  gone  before? 


1831]  SixteentJi  Auxiliary  Report.  383 

Who  can  experience  even  a  momentary  indifference,  while 
thousands  and  tens  of  thousands  of  his  fellow  creatures  are 
strangers  to  the  promises  and  consolations  of  the  Gospel  ? 

No — it  cannot  be — one  of  the  unvarying  characteristics  of  the 
true  Christian  is  a  desire  to  extend  to  the  whole  human  race  the 
blessings  in  which  he  himself  participates,  the  ardent  wish  that 
all  his  fellow  men,  without  distinction  of  name,  or  sect  or  coun- 
try, were  altogether  as  he  is  except  those  bonds  of  remaining 
corruption  with  which  the  best  Christian  feels  himself  enthralled. 
Blessed  in  this  righteous  cause  is  he  who  gives  as  well  as  he  who 
receives.  "How  beautiful  upon  the  mountains  are  the  feet  of 
him  that  bringeth  good  tidings,  that  publisheth  peace;  that  bring- 
eth  good  tidings  of  good,  that  publisheth  salvation;  that  saith 
unto  Zion  thy  God  reigneth!" 

Let  us  pursue  then  with  unwavering  perseverance  the  sacred 
work  in  which  we  are  engaged.  It  is  our  happiness  to  live  in 
this  day  of  Christian  enterprise  and  zeal,  when  it  may  be  truly 
said,  that  "The  Lord  is  making  bare  his  holy  arm  in  the  eyes  of 
all  the  nations." 

May  it  be  our  glorious  privilege  to  act  as  humble  instruments 
in  the  fulfilment  of  the  prophecy,  "that  all  the  ends  of  the  earth 
shall  see  the  salvation  of  our  God."^ 

While  the  parent  Society  was  in  a  state  of  suspended  anima- 
tion, the  Auxiliary  was  lusty  and  strong. 

Relying  as  it  did  principally  upon  the  sums  gathered  in  the 
Churches  of  the  city,  its  annual  appeal  in  1832  was  made  the 
occasion  of  this  commendation  in  "The  Churchman" : 

1832,     Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society. 

The  Society  noticed  in  the  subjoined  advertisement,  has  ever 
shown  itself  ready  to  meet  the  calls  of  our  fellow  Churchmen  in 
every  part  of  our  country,  and  to  furnish  its  publications  wher- 
ever a  favourable  opening  was  presented.  Our  General  Mis- 
sionary Society — ^and  clergymen  in  new  and  feeble  congrega- 
tions throughout  the  United  States  have  been  liberally  supplied 
from  the  depository;  although  its  funds  are  drawn  exclusively 
from  this  city.  It  is  but  a  few  days  since  the  frigate  United 
States  received  a  large  donation  of  its  books. 


I.    The  Churchman,  Saturday,  November   i?,   1831.     Volume  I.  No.  34. 
Page  136. 


384  Anniversary  Meetings.  [1832 

The  Treasury  of  the  institution  is  of  course  empty — it  is  sel- 
dom otherwise — and  an  account  of  some  hundreds  of  dollars  due 
its  publishers — need  we  say  more  to  excite  a  proper  spirit  of 
liberality  in  its  behalf  ? 

Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book 

Society. 

On  Sunday  morning  next,  sermons  will  be  preached,  and  col- 
lections made,  in  Trinity  Church,  St.  Paul's  and  St.  John's 
Chapels  in  aid  of  the  funds  of  the  above  Society. 

All  persons  friendly  to  the  objects  of  the  institution  are  re- 
spectfully invited  to  attend. 

Henry  I.  Seaman, 

June  27th.  Chairman  Com.  of  Arrangements.^ 

Our  only  knowledge  of  the  operations  of  the  Society  for  the 
year  ending  in  October.  1832,  is  from  the  account  in  "The 
Churchman"  of  the  diocesan  anniversaries  and  the  notice  of  its 
annual  meeting.  It  is  doubtful  if  the  report  was  printed,  as  no 
copy  seems  to  be  found  in  any  public  library  at  the  present  time. 

Anniversary. 

The  evening  of  the  day  on  which  our  annual  Convention  as- 
sembles, is  set  apart  for  submitting  to  the  several  Societies  con- 
nected with  the  Church  in  this  Diocese  the  reports  of  the  pro- 
ceedings of  their  respective  Boards  of  Management.  On 
Thursday  evening  of  the  present  week  the  several  anniversaries 
of  the  Tract  Society,  Auxiliary  Bible  and  Prayer  Book  Society, 
Education  and  Missionary  Society  of  the  diocese,  and  of  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Press  were  accordingly  celebrated;  the 
services  were  well  attended,  and  we  trust  the  reports  and  ad- 
dresses made  excited  a  happy  interest  in  the  minds  of  those  who 
were  present. 

The  report  of  the  Education  and  Missionary  Society  was  read 
by  the  Corresponding  Secretary,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Anthon;  that  of 
the  Auxiliary  Bible  and  Prayer  Book  Society  by  Mr.  Van  Wag- 

I.  The  Churchman,  Saturday,  June  30,  1832.  Volume  II.  No.  15.  Whole 
No.  67. 


1832]  Anniversary  Meetings.  385 

enen;  the  report  of  the  Press  by  the  Rev.  W.  R.  Whittingham ; 
and  the  Tract  Society's  report  by  the  Rev.  J.  V.  Van  Ingen. 

Devotions  by  the  Bishop  opened  and  closed  the  engagements 
of  the  evening,  that  appropriate  hymn,  the  25th,  being  sung 
before  the  concluding  devotions.^ 

Addresses  were  delivered  in  behalf  of  these  several  institu- 
tions by  the  Rev.  Samuel  R.  Johnson,  the  Rev.  John  A.  Clark, 
the  Rev.  Lewis  P.  Bayard,  and  the  Rev.  Dr.  Hawkes.  Very 
much  of  the  interest  which  the  sentiments  and  appeal  contained 
in  the  several  reports  were  fitted  to  excite,  were  lost,  from  the 
fact  which  we  have  since  learned  with  regret  that  the  reading 
of  the  documents  was  not  in  a  tone  sufficiently  loud  to  be  gener- 
ally heard.  The  reports  will  all  be  printed,  and  will  they  not  be 
generally  read? 

Most  opportune  in  closing  this  notice  is  the  possession  of  the 
address  of  our  Diocesan,  which  lies  before  us.  Its  concluding 
paragraphs  were  precisely  to  our  purj^x^se.  The  predictions  they 
contain  were  fully  realized ;  let  us  not  allow  their  exhortations  to 
be  lost  upon  us!  Speaking  of  the  objects  commended  in  the 
address  to  the  regards  of  our  brethren  in  the  Church,  he  says: 
I  will  detain  you  no  longer  than  to  commend  these  interests  to 
your  continued  prayers  and  zealous  and  faithful  labours.  Have 
perpetually  in  your  minds  and  urge  upon  all  you  can  favourably 
influence  the  deeply  interesting  facts  that  we  stand  in  great  need 
of  a  large  accession  of  well  trained  clergymen,  and  large  addi- 
tion to  our  means  of  missionary  enterprise. 

The  several  Societies  of  our  Church  will  at  their  joint  anni- 
versary this  evening  speak  for  themselves.  They  will  tell  you  of 
much  which  by  God's  blessing  they  have  done,  and  will  also 
bring  painful  conviction  that  much  has  been  left  undone  for  want 
of  more  efficient  means.  Let  us  all  be  thankful  for  the  former 
view,  and  all  resolve  that  by  God's  blessing  there  shall  be  per- 
petually diminishing  cause  for  the  repetition  of  the  latter."* 


I.     "I  love  thy  kingdom,  Lord, 
The  houee  of  thine  abode. 
The  Church  our  blest  Redeemer  saves, 
With  his  own  precious  blood." 
It  is  in  the  present  Hymnal,  No.  485, 

2.    The   Churchman,   Saturday,   October   6,    1832.     Volume  II.     No.   29. 
Whole  No.  81. 

(25) 


3B6  Seventeenth  Auxiliary  Meeting.  [1832 

The  Seventeenth  Annual  meeting  of  the  Auxiliary  New  York 
Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  was  held  in  St.  John's 
Chapel  on  Thursday  evening,  the  4th  instant,  in  conjunction 
with  the  societies  above  mentioned. 

Seventeenth  Auxiuary  Report. 

The  Annual  Report  of  the  Board  of  Managers  was  read  by 
G.  G.  Van  Wagenen,  Esq.,  whereupon  on  motion  of  Rev.  John 
A,  Clark,  who  prefaced  his  resolution  by  a  very  appropriate  ad- 
dress in  behalf  of  the  Society, 

Resolved,  That  the  Report  just  read  be  accepted  and  referred 
to  the  Board  of  Managers,  to  be  disposed  of  as  they  may  think 
proper. 

Resolved,  That  the  unwearied  efforts  of  the  Board  of  Man- 
agers meet  every  demand  upon  the  depository,  notwithstanding 
the  discouraging  deficiency  of  funds  which  they  have  been  com- 
pelled to  encounter  during  the  past  year,  merit  the  cordial  thanks 
of  the  Episcopal  community. 

Resolved,  That  the  great  importance  of  a  constant  and  gratu- 
itous distribution  of  the  Bible  and  Book  of  Common  Prayer  to 
Sunday  Schools  and  destitute  portions  of  our  Church,  will  fully 
justify  the  most  urgent  appeals  by  the  Board  of  Managers  to 
their  fellow  Episcopalians  for  liberal  contributions  to  the  funds 
of  the  Society. 

The  exercises  of  the  evening  were  preceded  and  concluded  by 
devotions  conducted  by  the  Rt.  Rev.  Chairman. 

The  Society  was  then  organized  under  its  President,  Benjamin 
M.  Brown,  Esq.,  when  on  motion, 

Resolved,  That  the  reading  of  the  minutes  of  the  last  annual 
meeting  be  dispensed  with  this  evening. 

Resolved,  That  the  Society  do  now  adjourn  to  meet  again  for 
the  transaction  of  its  ordinary  business  at  the  Press  Building, 
on  Wednesday  next  the  loth  instant,  at  7  o'clock  p.  m. 

Pursuant  to  adjournment,  the  Society  met  at  the  Building  of 
the  Protestant  Episcopal  Press,  on  Wednesday,  the  Qth^  October, 
Benjamin  Brown,  Esq.,  President,  in  the  Chair. 

The  Society  proceeded  to  elect  a  Board  of  Managers  for  the 
ensuing  year.     Messrs,  Curtiss  and  Dunscomb  were  appointed 

I,    This  date  is  a  misprint,  should  be  loth. 


1833]  Committee  on  Editions.  BW 

inspectors.     On  counting  the  ballots,  the  following  gentlemen 
were  declared  to  be  elected. 

Benjamin  M.  Brown,  President. 

Henry  Cotheal,^  ist  Vice  President. 

Oliver  H.  Lowndes,  2d  Vice  President. 

John  Alstyne,  3d  Vice  President. 

C.  N.  S.  Rowland,  Corresponding  Secretary. 

Henry  I.  Seaman,  Recording  Secretary. 

Richard  Oakley,  Treasurer. 

Thomas  Browning,  Agent. 

Managers: — William  E.  Dunscomb,  Charles  Keeler,  George 
C.  Morgan,  Philander  W.  Hanford,  Lewis  Curtis,  William  H. 
Hobart,  M.D.,  A.  B.  Dayton,  M.  D.  Benjamin,  Frederick  De 
Peyster,  Jun.,  G.  G.  Van  Wagenen,  William  M.  Benjamin,  Wil- 
liam H.  Blair,  Lewis  Phillips,  Ogden  Hoffman,  W.  R.  Cooke, 
William  H.  Townsend,  Edward  N.  Mead,  Charles  H.  Roach. 

On  motion.  Resolved,  That  the  proceedings  of  this  meeting, 
together  with  those  of  the  anniversary  meeting,  be  published  in 
"The  Churchman." 

There  being  no  further  business  the  Society  adjourned. 

Henry  L  Seaman,  Rec'g  Secr'y.- 

The  Society,  anxious  in  every  way  to  keep  pace  with  the 
growing  needs  of  the  Church,  and  present  books  attractive  in 
appearance,  substantial  in  their  binding  and  clear  in  their  typo- 
graphy, appointed  in  June,  1833,  a  Committee  of  which  the  Rev. 
Benjamin  I.  Haight  was  the  Chairman,  to  consider  what  im- 
provements were  necessary.  After  due  deliberation,  it  made  its 
report  through  the  Chairman. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Haight  made  the  following  report: 
The  Committee  appointed  at  a  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Man- 
agers, held  on  the  14th  day  of  June  last,  to  report  at  the  next 
meeting  upon  the  propriety  and  necessity  of  preparing  a  new  set 
of  plates  of  type  of  an  uniform  size  throughout  of  the  i8mo 
Prayer  Book. 


1.  In  place  of  Floyd  Smith,  resigned. 

2.  The   Churchman,    Saturday,   October  20,    1832.     Volume  II.     No.   31. 
Page  322.    Whole  No.  81. 


388  New  Edition  of  the  Prayer  Book.  [1833 


Having  considered  the  subject  referred  to  them,  and  made  the 
necessary  enquiries  and  investigations,  beg  leave  to 

Report,  That  in  their  judgment  it  is  highly  expedient  that  the 
Board  should  procure  a  new  set  of  stereotype  plates  of  the  Book 
of  Common  Prayer,  the  iSmo  size,  from  which  to  prmt  copies 
for  distribution.  They  are  also  decidedly  of  opinion  that  the 
type  should  be  larger,  the  paper  better,  and  the  binding  neater 
and  more  durable  than  heretofore.  They  believe  that  this  im- 
provement is  demanded  by  true  economy  as  well  as  by  good 
taste,  a  regard  for  the  feelings  of  many  of  the  Clergy  and  Laity, 
and  a  proper  feeling  of  respect  for  the  volume  itself.  It  has 
been  ascertained  that  the  size  of  the  book  will  be  increased,  by 
say,  76  pages,  and  the  cost  by  about  from  2  to  3  cents  a  copy 
delivered  in  the  Depository.  The  Committee  recommend  for 
adoption  the  following  resolutions : 

1.  Resolved,  That  the  Agent,  in  conjunction  with  a  committee 
of  four  members  of  the  Board,  be  and  is  hereby  authorized  to 
procure  a  new  set  of  stereotype  plates  of  the  Book  of  Common 
Prayer  i8mo.  size  in  a  Bourgeois  type,  cast  on  Brevier  body, 
the  Psalms  and  Hymns  in  Nonpareil. 

2.  Resolved,  That  the  Agent  be  authorized  to  print  an  edition 
of  five  thousand  sopies  from  said  plates  as  soon  as  they  are 
procured,  and  that  he  be  instructed  to  use  paper  of  a  better 
quality  than  that  heretofore  used  in  our  books  for  gratuitous 
distribution,  and  to  cause  them  to  be  bound  with  a  greater  re- 
gard to  neatness  and  durability. 

Benj.  I.  Haight, 
Joshua  Weaver, 
Thomas  C.  Butler. 

The  edition,  which  was  highly  recommended  by  all  who  used 
it,  was  ready  early  in  1834,  and  many  subsequent  editions  were 
printed  from  it. 

The  exigencies  of  business  required  the  Tract  Society  and 
the  Prayer  Book  Society  to  leave  the  pleasant  quarters  they  had 
in  John  Street;  a  long  search  for  other  rooms  was  made  neces- 
sary. 

"Mr.  Smith,  on  behalf  of  a  committee  appointed  at  an  in- 
formal meeting  of  the  Board  last  week  relative  to  hiring  rooms 
for  this  Society  for  the  ensuing  year,  reported  verbally  that  the 


BENJAMIN   I.  HAIGHT 


1833]  New  Edition  of  the  Bible.  389 

Sunday  School  Union  had  rented  the  building  in  which  the 
Society  were  at  present  located  and  had  agreed  to  deliver 
possession  on  20th  of  March  inst.,  and  that  the  Committee  had 
selected  a  room  12  feet  wide  by  25  feet  deep  in  the  back  room 
of  the  tliird  story  No.  637  Broadway,  the  first  story  being  occu- 
pied by  Messrs.  Stanford  and  Swords,  and  the  second  story  by 
the  Sunday  School  Union  and  Church  Book  Society,  at  a  rent 
of  five  hundred  dollars.  Whereupon  it  was  resolved,  on 
motion,  That  the  matter  of  hiring  rooms  be  referred  back  to  the 
same  committee  (to  wit,  Messrs.  Smith,  DePeyster  and  Dun- 
can), with  power  to  hire  a  room  in  the  premises  No.  450  Broome 
Street  or  room  at  the  corner  of  13th  Street,  corner  of  Broad- 
way or  some  other  suitable  place  on  or  near  Broadway,  at  a 
rent  not  to  exceed  $500." 

"Resolved,  also,  That  this  Society  consent  to  a  removal  from 
the  premises  which  they  now  occupy  as  Lessees  of  the  Sunday 
School  Union  and  Church  Book  Society  upon  such  tenns  as 
shall  preserve  the  interest  and  protect  the  rights  of  the  Society." 

Rooms  were  finally  secured  at  No.  55  East  Thirteenth  Street. 
They  were  the  home  of  the  Society  for  nearly  eight  years. 
They  were  shared  with  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Tract  Society, 
of  which  Mr.  Butler  was  also  the  Agent.  An  equitable  arrange- 
ment of  expense  was  at  once  made. 

The  success  of  the  edition  of  the  Holy  Bible  printed  by  the 
Auxiliary  ten  years  before,  and  the  desire  it  had  to  afTord 
copies  of  the  Scripture  at  a  price  which  even  the  very  poor 
could  afford,  caused  it  to  project  a  new  edition,  and  issue  an 
appeal  for  that  purpose  in  January,  1833.  Both  the  appeal  and 
an  editorial  commendation  were  widely  circulated  in  "The 
Churchman." 

Circulation  of  the  Scriptures. 

Correct  and  cheap  editions  of  the  Bible  executed  in  a  style 
worthy  of  such  a  book  are  among  the  greatest  public  blessings.^ 

Numerous  cheap  editions  of  the  Bible,  and  enough  that  are 
correct,  may  be  had  at  the  book  stores  and  depositories  of  So- 
cieties, but  the  first  are  generally  in  a  type  so  small  and  crowded 
as  to  pive  pain  to  the  eye  in  perusal,  and  in  a  style  of  execution 
offensive  to  good  taste,  and  seriously  so  to  that  reverence 
(itself   a   proof    of   good  taste)   which  we  feel  for  the  sacred 


390  New  Edition  of  the  Bible.  [1833 

volume — while  such  as  are  free  from  this  objection  are  held  at 
prices  which  are  a  barrier  to  their  circulation.  The  American 
Bible  Society  issues  copies  least  liable  to  either  of  these  objec- 
tions. The  Methodist  Book  Concern  is  also  exemplary  in  this 
respect.  Both  have  been  enabled  hitherto  to  furnish  Bibles  at  a 
price  much  below  that  at  which  the  Society  of  our  own  Church 
in  this  city  is  compelled  to  hold  those  furnished  from  the  present 
stereotype  plates.  The  painful  consequence  has  been  a  limited 
annual  issue  from  its  depository  which  all  have  regretted,  and 
the  almost  total  absence  of  orders  for  supplies  from  auxiliary 
societies  in  the  Church. 

Our  paper  to-day  is  accompanied  with  a  specimen  page  of  the 
new  Book  to  which  the  circular  which  follows  has  reference. 
It  speaks  its  own  claims  to  a  ready  preference  over  the  American 
editions  now  extant. 

The  statements  of  the  subjoined  appeal  show  that  if  the 
plates  in  question  be  procured,  their  employment  by  the  Society 
will  do  away  with  the  evil — a  grievous  one  we  have  always 
esteemed  it — of  a  comparatively  limited  issue  of  the  Bible  from 
its  Depository. 

The  Board  of  Managers  has  constituted  itself  a  Committee  of 
solicitation  for  obtaining  a  sum  of  money  ($1,500)  sufficient 
for  the  purchase  of  the  set  of  plates ; — and  several  of  its  members 
gave  pleasing  earnest  of  their  probable  success  by  subscribing 
upon  the  adjournment  of  their  last  meeting  $265  toward  the 
object. 

Circular  of  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common 
Prayer  Book  Society: 

There  is  among  Protestants  but  one  opinion  upon  the  ques- 
tion— "Should  the  Scriptures  be  made  accessible  to  every 
man?''  All  are  ready  to  answer  unequivocally,  Yes!  The  nu- 
merous Societies  having  in  view  the  supply  of  every  destitute 
household  and  individual  with  the  sacred  volume  prove  by  the 
support  they  realize  the  disposition  of  the  religious  public  upon 
this  point. 

Episcopalians  desire  to  contribute  their  part  toward  the  com- 
plete attainment  of  the  object.  The  Society  named  at  the  head 
of  this  article  has  been  for  many  years  actively  employed  with 
this  design.  But  a  serious  obstacle  has  impeded  its  efforts.  The 
Bible  hitherto  issued  from  its  press  has  been  too  costly  by  one- 
third  of  its  price.     Auxiliary  Societies  have  been  deterred  from 


1833]  New  Edition  of  the  Bible.  391 

purchasing  it;  and  its  publication  has  too  rapidly  absorbed  their 
funds. 

It  was  originally  chosen  with  a  view  to  legibility;  and  has 
been  retained  on  account  of  difficulties  in  the  way  of  procuring  a 
proper  substitute,  hitherto  deemed  insurmountable.  An  oppor- 
tunity now  offers  of  procuring  a  set  of  stereotype  plates  of  the 
desired  size,  from  a  peculiar  type  cast  by  Messrs,  Conner  and 
Cook  of  this  city.  From  these  plates  editions  may  be  issued 
combining  the  advantages  of  legibility  and  cheapness.  They  will 
give  a  very  superior  Bible  for  distribution  by  Societies  and  indi- 
viduals, which  may  be  sold,  printed  on  fair  and  durable  paper, 
well  bound,  filletted  and  lettered  at  a  price  not  exceeding  fifty 
cents,  provided  the  original  cost  of  the  stereotype  plates  be  de- 
frayed by  voluntary  contributions.  The  insertion  of  a  summary 
of  contents  at  the  head  of  each  chapter  will  greatly  enhance  the 
value  of  the  proposed  edition,  and  arrangements  have  been  made 
for  securing  great  accuracy  in  the  preparation  of  the  plates. 
Contributions  are  now  asked  to  enable  the  Society  effectually  to 
accomplish  this  most  important  object,  at  an  early  period,  and 
the  Managers  appeal  for  aid  in  the  purchase  of  the  stereotype 
plates  to  all  who  are  favourable  to  the  general  circulation  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures. 

Benjamin  M.  Brown,  President. 
H.  I.  Seaman,  Recording  Secretary. 

New  York,  Jan,  2,  1833, 

Contributions  will  be  received  by  the  members  of  the  Board 
of  Managers,  and  at  the  Depository  of  the  Press,  No.  46  Limiber 
Street. 

The  following  Report  of  the  Chaplain  of  Congress  made  at 
the  request  of  a  Committee  of  that  body  in  1782,  in  reference 
to  the  first  American  Bible  is  worthy  of  record.  We  copy  from 
the  Philadelphian. 

Report. 

Gentlemen, — Agreeably  to  your  desire  we  have  paid  attention 
to  Mr,  Robert  Aitken's  impression  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  of  the 
Old  and  New  Testament, 

Having  selected  and  examined  a  variety  of  passages  through- 
out the  work,  we  are  of  opinion  that  it  is  executed  with  great 
accuracy  as  to  the  sense  and  with  as  few  grammatical  and  typo- 
graphical errors  as  could  be  expected  in  an  undertaking  of  such 
magnitude. 


392  New  Edition  of  the  Bible.  [183a 

Being  ourselves  witnesses  of  the  demand  for  this  invaluable 
book,  we  rejoice  in  the  present  prospect  of  a  supply,  hoping  that 
it  will  prove  as  advantageous  as  it  is  honourable  to  the  Gentle- 
man, who  has  exerted  himself  to  furnish  it  at  the  risk  of  his 
private  fortune. 
We  are  Gentlemen, 

Your  very  respectful  and  humble  servants. 

(Signed)  William  White, 
George  Duffield. 
Hon.  James  Duane,  Chairman,  and  the  other  Hon.  Gentlemen 
of  the  Committee  of  Congress  on  Mr.  Aitken's  Memorial. 
Philadelphia,  September  loth,  1782. 
Whereupon,  Resolved,  That  the  United  States  in  Congress 
assembled  highly  approve  the  pious  and  laudable  undertaking  of 
Mr.  Aitken  as  subservient  to  the  interest  of  religion,  as  well  as 
an  instance  of  the  progress  of  Arts  in  this 'country;  and  being 
satisfied  from  the  above  Report  of  his  care  and  accuracy  in  the 
execution  of  the  work,  they  recommend  this  edition  of  the  Bible 
to  the  inhabitants  of  the  United  States,  and  hereby  authorize 
him   to   publish   this    recommendation    in   the  manner  he  shall 
think  proper. 

Charles  Thompson,  Secretary. 

New  Edition  of  the  Bible. 

The  necessary  amount  for  securing  the  stereotype  plates  of 
a  new  edition  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  as  noticed  in  the  late  cir- 
cular given  in  our  columns,  will,  it  is  hoped,  be  soon  and  cheer- 
fully contributed.  The  Managers  have  engaged  heartily  in 
measures  for  individual  solicitation  among  their  respective  ac- 
quaintance. The  (Methodist)  Christian  Advocate  and  Journal 
thus  speaks  of  the  projected  edition.  "The  Protestant  Episcopal 
Bible  Society — We  perceive  from  'The  Churchman'  of  January 
the  5th  an  appeal  to  the  friends  of  the  universal  circulation  of 
the  Bible  aid  to  enable  the  Society  to  procure  a  new  set  of  plates 
for  a  neat,  cheap  edition.  The  call  ought  to  be  sustained.  We 
hope  it  will  be  sustained,  and  the  edition  of  which  we  have  a  fine 
specimen  before  us  go  forth  to  gladden  the  hearts  of  many. 
Contributions  will  be  received  by  any  member  of  the  Board  of 


I.    The    Churchman,     Saturday,    January    5,   1833.     Volume  II     No.  42. 
Whole  No.  94. 


1833]  Eighteenth  Auxiliary  Meeting.  393 

Managers  and  at  the  Depository  of  the  Press,  46  Lumber 
Street." 

And  the  Episcopal  Recorder  noticed  it  as  follows:  "The 
Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society 
are  making  efforts  to  obtain  a  set  of  stereotype  plates  of  the 
Bible  of  the  i2mo  size,  that  they  may  be  provided  with  Bibles 
better  adapted  for  general  circulation  than  those  which  they  now 
print.  A  specimen  sheet  is  circulated  with  a  late  number  of  'The 
Churchman,'  which  corresponds  fully  with  the  description  given 
above.  "^ 

The  appeal  met  with  an  immediate  response.  Contributions 
were  acknowledged  in  the  columns  of  "The  Churchman."  The 
sum  of  fourteen  hundred  and  ninety-one  dollars  and  seventy- 
five  cents  were  obtained  and  the  edition  printed  in  accord  with 
the  specifications  of  the  "appeal." 

The  proof  sheets  were  most  carefully  read  by  Mr.  Van 
Ingen,  then  the  agent  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Press,  after- 
ward a  highly  honoured  priest  of  the  Diocese  of  Western  New 
York,  and  the  Rev.  William  R.  Whittingham,  who  was  then 
the  editor  of  the  Press  and  Rector  of  Saint  Luke's  Church,  New 
York  City. 

The  well-known  thoroughness  of  that  profound  scholar,  who 
as  professor  in  the  General  Theological  Seminary  and  Bishop 
of  Maryland,  adorned  and  filled  those  posts  of  dignity  and  re- 
sponsibility, is  seen  in  every  page  of  this  edition. 

It  was  still  in  the  press  when  the  annual  meeting  occurred  in 
the  fall  of  1833.  The  report  then  made  shows  in  every  line  the 
serene  confidence  and  robust  faith  of  the  Managers  of  the  So- 
ciety. 

Eighteenth  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Auxiliary. 

The  eighteenth  Annual  Meeting  of  this  Society  was  held 
in  St.  John's  Chapel,  on  Thursday  evening,  the  3d  October, 
in  conjunction  with  that  of  the  New  York  Protestant  Episcopal 
Tract  Society  and  the  Education  and  Missionary  Society.  The 
Chair  was  taken  by  the  Right  Rev.  B.  T.  Onderdonk,  D.D.,  at 
half-past  seven  o'clok  P.  M.  The  Annual  Report  of  the  Board 
of  Managers  was  read  by  Dr.  William  H.  Hobart,  whereupon  on 


I.     The   Churchman,   Saturday,  January  26,    1833.     Volume    II.     No.   45. 
Whole  Number  97. 


394  Election  of  Officers.  [1833 


motion  of  the  Rev.  F.  L.  Hawks,  D.D.,  who  prefaced  his  reso- 
lutions by  a  very  appropriate  address  in  behalf  of  the  Society : 

Resolved,  That  although  the  Report  of  the  Society  does  not 
exhibit  an  important  diminution  of  its  debt,  yet  this  meeting 
recognizes  in  the  fact  that  the  sum  of  fifteen  hundred  dollars 
has  been  raised  by  voluntary  contribution  for  the  purchase  of  a 
set  of  stereotype  plates  of  the  Bible  in  a  more  desirable  form, 
and  at  greatly  reduced  price,  an  evidence  of  a  degree  of  pros- 
perity during  the  past  year ;  affording  ample  encouragement  not 
to  become  weary  in  the  great  and  blessed  work  of  diffusing  the 
"Word  of  God"  in  its  natural  alliance  with  the  Church  of  Grod. 

Resolved,  That  the  Report  just  read  be  published  under  the 
directions  of  the  Board  of  Managers. 

The  exercises  of  the  evening  were  preceded  and  concluded  by 
devotions,  conducted  by  the  Right  Rev.  Chairman. 

The  Society  was  then  organized  under  its  President,  Benj. 
M.  Brown,  Esq.,  when  on  motion. 

Resolved,  That  the  reading  of  the  minutes  of  the  last  annual 
meeting  be  dispensed  with  this  evening. 

Resolved,  That  this  Society  do  now  adjourn  to  meet  again 
for  the  transaction  of  its  ordinary  business  at  the  Press  Build- 
ing, on  Monday  evening  next,  the  7th  instant,  at  7  o'clock. 

Henry  I.  Seaman,  Recording  Secretary. 

Pursuant  to  adjournment,  the  Society  met  at  the  Building  of 
the  Protestant  Episcopal  Press,  on  Monday  evening,  the  7th 
inst.,  at  7  o'clock.    Benjamin  M.  Brown,  Esq.,  in  the  Chair. 

The  Society  proceeded  to  elect  a  Board  of  Managers  for  the 
ensuing  year.  On  counting  the  ballots  the  following  gentlemen 
were  declared  to  be  duly  elected : 

Benjamin  M.  Brown,  President. 

Henry  Cotheal,  ist  Vice  President. 

Oliver  M.  Lowndes,  2d  Vice  President. 

John  Alstyne,  3d  Vice  President. 

C.  N.  S.  Rowland,  Corresponding  Secretary. 

Henry  I.  Seaman,  Recording  Secretary. 

Charles  H.  Roach,  Treasurer. 

Thomas  Browning,  Agent. 

Managers: — William  E.  Dunscomb,  William  H.  Blair, 
Charles  Keeler,  Lewis  Phillips,  George  C.  Morgan,  Ogden  Hoff- 
man, Lewis  Curtis,  William  H.  Townsend,  William  H.  Hobart, 


1833]  Eighteenth  Auxiliary  Report.  395. 

M.D.,  Richard  Oakley..  Meigs  D.  Benjamin,  Herman  D.  Aid- 
rich,  Frederick  DePeyster,  William  Betts,  G.  G.  Van  Wagenen, 
Charles  J.  Aldis,  William  M.  Benjamin,  Samuel  J.  Beebe. 
There  being  no  further  business  the  Society  adjourned. 

Henry  L  Seaman,  Recording  Secretary. 

Eighteenth  Auxiliary  Report. 

When  your  Board  of  Managers  presented  their  last  annual 
Report,  the  hope  was  cherished  that  the  statement  it  furnished, 
of  an  empty  treasury,  a  large  debt,  and  consequently  embarrassed 
state  of  operations,  would  have  awakened  in  its  behalf  the  Chris- 
tian sympathy,  and  ensured  the  prompt  and  liberal  charity  of 
Churchmen.  But  however  mortifying  the  avowal,  duty  requires 
us  to  say  that  our  hope  has  not  been  realized. 

The  account  we  are  now  called  to  render  is  in  fact  no  less  dis- 
couraging. 

Sympathy  may  have  been  awakened,  but  enlarged  means  have 
not  been  contributed. 

This  comparative  indifference  of  Churchmen  to  our  institution 
cannot  be  owing  surely  to  any  comparative  want  of  claim.  If 
we  look  to  the  objects  of  the  Society,  the  general  dissemination 
of  the  Word  of  God,  accompanied  by  its  best  and  ablest  comment, 
our  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  no  work  of  charity  can  commend 
itself  by  a  more  noble  or  more  urgent  character. 

Or,  if  we  turn  again  to  the  calls  upon  this  Society,  for  the  spir- 
itual food  it  provides,  our  claim  to  a  liberal  support  is  pressed 
home  upon  the  heart  of  every  Churchman,  by  the  cry  of  perish- 
ing thousands.  The  inquiry  then  is  more  difficult  of  solution; 
why  this  Society,  in  contrast  with  its  sister  institutions  which 
report  this  evening,  is  constrained  to  humble  itself  under  com- 
parative neglect? 

Since  the  ist  of  October  last,  there  has  been  received  into  the 
treasury  the  sum  of  $971.98,  and  paid  from  the  same  $80261, 
leaving  a  balance  of  $169.37  ^^  meet  the  debt  incurred  to  the 
Press,  which  has  been  increased  the  past  year  from  %y'j2.yj  to 
$842.41.  Although  this  statement  shows  our  actual  expenditure 
to  have  been  less  than  our  receipts  by  nearly  $100,  yet  it  should 
be  borne  in  mind  that  even  this  result  must  be  ascribed  to  the 
liberal  bequest  of  a  single  member  of  our  Church;  a  man  who 
while  living  adorned  the  religion  he  professed,  and  who  needed 


396  Eighteenth  Auxiliary  Keport.  [183S 

not  this  last  deed  of  benevolence  to  ensure  a  grateful  remem- 
brance in  the  bosoms  of  his  fellow  Churchmen/ 

While  the  view  thus  presented  of  our  finances  evince  that  the 
important  objects  of  our  Society  have  been  sustained  by  a  very 
partial  and  inadequate  patronage,  we  remark  with  much  thank- 
fulness, that  our  list  of  donations  furnishes  gratifying  evidence 
of  the  laudable  and  continued  benefactions  of  a  few  members  of 
our  Communion.  The  name  of  Mr.  Jacob  Shatzell,  we  are 
allowed,  as  in  past  years,  the  pleasure  of  enrolling  among  our 
most  devoted  friends.  In  regard  to  other  sources  from  which 
the  funds  of  the  Society  have  been  derived,  and  all  matters  relat- 
ing to  our  financial  concerns,  we  would  refer  you  to  the  sub- 
joined report  of  the  Treasurer. 

Notwithstanding  our  pecuniary  embarrassments  we  have  felt 
ourselves  impelled  by  the  urgent  and  unabated  calls  of  the  desti- 
tute to  continue  our  usual  amount  of  distribution ;  in  reliance  on 
the  hope  that  He  who  blesses  and  makes  effectual  His  own  work, 
will  not  deny  to  this  Society  that  measure  of  success  which  its 
important  objects  would  seem  to  merit. 

The  report  of  the  Agent  for  the  past  year  furnishes  an  aggre- 
gate of  2,347  volumes  gratuitously  distributed,  as  follows:  In 
the  Navy,  lOO  Hymns  and  261  Prayer  Books;  to  a  whale  ship, 
6  Bibles  and  12  Prayer  Books;  to  places  in  the  United  States  be- 
yond the  limits  of  this  Diocese,  7  Bibles,  27  Hymns  and  613 
Prayer  Books;  to  this  Diocese  (out  of  the  city),  40  Hymns  and 
545  Prayer  Books;  to  this  city,  64  Bibles.  67  Testaments,  and 
605  Prayer  Books:  making  in  all  yj  Bibles,  67  Testaments,  167 
Hymns,  and  2,036  Prayer  Books;  and  a  grand  total  since  the 
organization  of  the  Society,  of  69,228  volumes.  Besides  this 
amount  of  actual  distribution  it  should  be  mentioned  that  the 
Board  have  voted  1,000  Prayer  Books  to  the  Missionaries  of  this 
Diocese  for  circulation  in  their  respective  stations. 

While  the  statement  exhibits  a  result  varying  in  no  essential 
degree  from  that  of  former  years,  still  it  should  not  be  over- 
looked, that  this  result  falls  very  short  of  the  demands  upon  our 
charity.  In  the  present  exigence  of  the  Church  it  is  hardly  pos- 
sible to  compute  the   number  of   volumes,   particularly  of  our 

I.  Dr.  James  M.  Pendleton.  His  widow,  Mrs.  Margaret  Pendleton,  paid 
into  the  Treasury  of  this  Society  the  sum  of  Five  Hundred  dollars,  his  verbal 
bequest  to  it. 


1833]  Eighteenth  Auxiliary  Report.  397 

Book  of  Common  Prayer  (the  Bible  being  furnished  by  societies 
devoted  excKisively  to  its  circulation),  which  might  be  with  the 
most  cheering  prospect  of  spiritual  advantage  distributed  in  our 
destitute  settlem.ents.  The  call  then  upon  Churchmen  now  is  to 
free  this  Society  from  an  embarrassing  debt,  to  sustain  it  in  its 
present  labour,  and  to  enable  it  to  adapt  this  labour  to  the  field 
of  destitution  which  daily  widens  before  us.  In  addition,  how- 
ever, to  these  motives  which  every  annual  report  might  urge,  we 
present  on  this  occasion  a  new  claim  to  your  support.  It  consists 
in  an  effort  under  the  direction  of  our  Board  to  divest  the  Bible 
of  those  verbal  inaccuracies,  which  in  the  progress  of  centuries 
have  inadvertently  crept  into  it,  and  to  bring  it  back  to  the  origi- 
nal form  given  it  by  the  translators. 

That  an  effort  of  this  kind  was  demanded  is  clear  from  the 
fact  that  the  subject  has  long  agitated,  and  has  since  been  acted 
on  by  the  Christian  public  in  England.  This  Society,  however, 
has  taken  the  earliest  steps  in  the  matter,  and  to  ensure  success 
has  spared  no  pains.  A  large  number  of  editions,  by  the  efficient 
and  gratuitous  aid  of  two  of  our  clerical  friends,  has  been  con- 
sulted. Proofs  have  been  read  with  singular  care  and  every 
means  adopted  to  furnish  Protestants  with  an  accurate  edition  of 
that  English  translation  of  the  Scriptures  which  they  have 
unitedly  agreed  to  consider  as  a  proper  substitute  of  the  Word 
of  God  in  the  original  tongue.  To  enable  us  to  prosecute  our 
design  and  to  furnish  not  only  an  accurate  but  also  an  unusually 
cheap  edition  of  the  Bible,  the  members  of  the  Church  generously 
(we  acknowledge  the  fact  with  most  sincere  gratitude,  as  afford- 
ing the  pledge  of  better  days  to  our  Society),  have  promptly 
contributed  nearly  $1,500  to  purchase  for  this  purpose  a  set  of 
stereotype  plates.  So  that  in  the  future  operations  this  Society 
will  commend  itself  to  all  who  desire  the  prosperity  of  Christ's 
kingdom,  not  only  by  the  numerous  and  pressing  wants  it  would 
relieve,  but  also  by  its  eminent  care  in  providing  the  true  bread 
of  life;  and  in  manner  the  least  open  to  objections,  because  the 
most  entirely  in  accordance  with  the  institutions  of  the  Gospel, 
and  the  best  adapted  to  the  circumstances  of  spiritual  necessity. 

In  reverting  to  the  facts  we  have  now  been  constrained  to 
submit,  most  of  us  will  see  cause  for  mortification  and  self- 
reproach;  but  through  the  mercy  of  Providence  we  are  still  in 
the  field  of  labour,  and  may  in  some  respects  redeem  the  time. 


398  Eighteenth  Auxiliary  Report.  [1833 

Is  it  too  much  then  to  anticipate  that  the  future  efiforts  of  Episco- 
paHans  in  reference  to  this  Society  will  bear  a  less  humiliating 
proportion  to  their  bounden  duty.  For  at  a  period  like  the  pres- 
ent, when  much  certainly  is  doing  for  the  cause  of  Christianity, — 
when  other  denominations  are  active  to  a  degree  unprecedented, — 
when  the  members  of  our  own  Church  are  more  zealous  than  in 
former  times,  a  day,  however,  at  which  we  are  compelled  to 
confess  ourselves  far  behind  that  measure  of  earnestness  and 
effort  which  duty  and  the  age  require,  it  is  time  for  the  Church 
to  awaken  from  sleep,  bid  adieu  to  apathy  and  inaction, — join 
fervent  supplication  to  unwearied  effort,  and  thus  in  confiding 
hope  await  the  time  when  Christ  according  to  his  promise  shall 
make  "her  gates  salvation  and  her  walls  praise." 

The  list  of  donors  to  the  Stereotype  Fund  will  be  found  in  the 
Appendix. 

Since  the  transfer  of  the  Depository  of  this  Society  to  the  New 
York  Protestant  Episcopal  Press,  there  have  been  printed  from 
its  stereotype  plates — 

Bibles    2,250 

Prayer  Books,  Svo 2,200 

Prayer  Books,  iSmo 40,000 — 42,200 

Hymns    9,000 


53>45o 
The  edition  was  ready  for  distribution  and  sale  early  in  1834, 
and  it  is  thus  noticed  in  "The  Churchman" :  The  cheapest  and 
most  accurate  edition  of  the  Bible  is  one  which  has  lately  been 
furnished  by  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer 
Book  Society.  It  is  furnished  in  duodecimo,  on  good  paper,  and 
with  a  clear  type  almost  as  large  as  that  of  common  octavo,  at 
50  cents  a  copy,  and  no  pains  have  been  spared  to  make  it  accur- 
ate. Besides  the  usual  proof  readings,  it  has  been  read  three 
times  by  the  Re\'.  Mr.  Whittingham  and  other  persons  associ- 
ated with  him  for  the  purpose.  It  was  read  and  compared  with 
a  folio  copy  in  the  General  Theological  Seminary  in  this  city, 
printed  in  1616,  five  years  after  the  original  publication  in  161 1  ; 
with  a  folio  black  letter  of  1639;  and  with  a  Cambridge  quarto 
of  the  same  date,  and  a  small  octavo  of  a  date  not  long  subse- 
quent. 

To  the  first,  that  of  161 6,  the  headings  to  the  chapters,  the 


1834]  Anniversary  Meetings.  399 

parentheses,  the  itaHcs  and  paragraphs  were  carefully  conformed ; 
and  the  other  editions  were  collated  in  correcting  the  text.  The 
corrections  which  made  were  noted  at  the  time,  and  still  pre- 
served by  Mr.  Whittingham. 

We  are  afraid  to  hazard  an  assertion  as  to  their  number  and 
importance,  but  as  the  inaccuracies  in  the  common  editions  are 
much  complained  of,  we  wish  it  to  be  generally  known  for  the 
good  of  the  Community,  as  well  as  for  the  credit  of  our  Church, 
that  the  cheapest  and  most  accurate  copy  of  the  Bible  anywhere 
to  be  had,  may  be  procured  in  a  form  adapted  to  private  and 
family  use  at  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Press,  No.  46  Lumber 
Street,  New  York.^ 

It  is  of  interest  to  know  that  in  the  enlarged  collection  of  edi- 
tions of  the  Holy  Bible  in  the  Library  of  the  General  Theological 
Seminary,  now  one  of  the  most  complete  in  this  country,  is  still 
preserved  the  folio  of  16 16  used  by  Mr.  Whittingham.  It  was 
one  of  the  numerous  valuable  donations  to  the  Library  by  Mr. 
John  Pintard,  and  has  his  book  plate.  The  title  page  is :  "The 
Holy  Bible,  containing  the  Old  Testament  and  the  New  newly 
translated  out  of  the  original  Tongues :  and  with  former  Trans- 
laions  diligently  compared  and  revised.  By  his  Majesty's  Spec- 
ial Commandment.  Imprinted  at  London  by  Robert  Baker, 
Printer  to  the  King's  most  excellent  majesty — 1616.  Cum 
Privilegio  Regiae  Majestatis." 

There  is  also  a  black  letter  folio  of  1640,  which  is  said  to  be 
the  last  black  letter  folio  of  the  King  James'  version,  probably 
that  used  by  Mr.  Whittingham.  Its  title  page  is  similar  to  that 
of  the  1616  edition.  A  duodecimo  edition  of  1640,  also  printed 
by  Robert  Baker,  is  found  in  the  Seminary  Library.  It  is  pos- 
sibly the  one  consulted  by  the  correctors  of  the  Auxiliary  Bible 
and  Prayer  Book  Society  in  1833. 

Of  the  transactions  of  the  Auxiliary  we  have  little  knowledge 
during  the  year  1834,  as  the  Report  in  full  is  not  available.  The 
account  of  the  Anniversary  is  of  very  real  value,  and  the  address 
of  Dr.  Schroeder,  then  an  assistant  minister  of  Trinity  Church, 
is  one  of  the  few  published  of  a  clergyman  who  in  the  early  days 
of  his  ministry  in  the  city  was  renowned  for  his  learning  and 
readiness  of  speech. 


I.    The  Churchman,  Saturday,  June  7,  1834.    Volume  IV.  No.  12.    Whole 
No.  168. 


400  Anniversary  Meetings.  [1834 

The  Anniversaries  of  the  New  York  Protestant  Episcopal 
Tract  Society,  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common 
Prayer  Book  Society.,  and  of  the  Education  and  Missionary 
Society  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  the  State  of  New 
York,  were  celebrated  in  St.  John's  Chapel  on  Thursday  even- 
ing, the  2d  of  October.  The  meeting  was  opened  with  appropri- 
ate religious  service,  conducted  by  the  Right  Rev.  Bishop  of  the 
Diocese;  the  Right  Rev.  Bishop  of  Ohio  being  in  the  chancel. 
.  .  .  .  The  Report  of  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and 
Common  Prayer  Book  Society  was  read  by  William  Betts,  Esq., 
whereupon  the  following  resolutions  were  offered  by  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Schroeder : 

Resolved,  That  the  Report  just  read  be  printed  and  distributed 
under  the  direction  of  the  Board  of  Managers. 

Resolved,  That  regarding  as  we  do  the  general  and  extensive 
circulation  of  the  Word  of  God  and  its  best  and  most  valued 
commentary,  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer — a  work  of  Christian 
benevolence,  inferior  only  in  importance  to  the  sending  of  the 
living  teacher  in  the  doctrines  and  precepts  of  the  Gospel — in  the 
opinion  of  the  meeting,  the  long  continued  operations  of  the 
Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  in 
promoting  the  great  object  demands  the  expression  of  our  warm- 
est approbation,  and  our  assurance  to  its  active  and  laborious 
conductors  of  the  value  and  importance  of  their  gratuitous  and 
disinterested  service 

The  exercises  of  the  evening  were  concluded  by  singing  the 
25th  Hymn  and  with  devotional  exercises  conducted  by  the 
Chairman,  the  Right  Rev.  the  Bishop  of  the  Diocese. 

Henry  I.  Seaman,  Secretary.^ 

Anniversary  Celebrations. 

On  Thursday  evening  three  of  our  diocesan  societies  held  their 
Annual  meetings  in  St.  John's  Chapel.  The  celebration  was  pre- 
ceded by  appropriate  religious  services  by  the  Bishop,  who  pre- 
sided on  the  occasion.  The  seat  on  his  left  was  occupied  by 
Bishop  Mcllvaine  of  Ohio.  The  congregation  was  numerous 
and  a  great  proportion  of  the  clergy  were  present.    The  Report 

I.  The  Churchman,  Saturday,  October  ii,  1834.  Volume  IV.  No.  30. 
Whole  No.  186. 


1834]  Address  by  Dr.  Schroeder.  401 

of  the  Tract  Society  was  first  read  by  the  Rev.  Albert  Smedes, 
Jun.,  of  Christ  Church.  Resolutions  expressive  of  the  satisfac- 
tion with  which  it  had  heard  and  of  the  importance  of  the  cause, 
were  then  offered  by  Rev.  T.  S.  Brittan,  and  supported  by  him 
in  an  able  and  eloquent  speech,  which  was  listened  to  with  great 
interest  by  his  auditory.  Next  followed  the  report  of  the  Aux- 
iliary New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  which 
was  read  by  William  Betts,  Esq.  Similar  resolutions  were  then 
submitted  by  the  Rev.  J.  F.  Schroeder,  who  by  a  reference  to  the 
early  history  of  the  Church  of  England,  illustrated  the  important 
agency  of  Episcopalians  in  the  dissemination  and  exposition  of 
the  Scriptures.  To  them,  the  speaker  remarked,  was  the  Protest- 
ant world  indebted  for  the  Bible  itself  through  the  medium  of 
translation,  and  best  living  commentary  upon  it  in  the  Book  of 
Common  Prayer. 

The  speech  of  Mr.  Schroeder  was  ingenious  and  happy.^ 

Address  of  the  Rev.  John  F.  Schroeder,  D.D. 

The  thought  had  frequently  occurred  to  him  while  attending 
the  anniversaries  of  the  institutions  of  the  Church,  that  in  the 
celebrated  controversy  concerning  Faith  and  Good  Works,  it 
might  be  difficult  to  ascertain  what  part  we  had  espoused,  so  far 
at  least  as  related  to  our  religious  societies.  The  two  Apostles, 
he  observed,  with  whom  the  conflict  is  supposed  to  have  orig- 
inated, did  not  seem  to  contemplate  such  a  case  as  ours.  Indeed, 
said  he,  there  is  good  cause  for  self-examination  on  the  subject 
to  ascertain  how  far  our  hearts  and  lives  conform  to  the  will  uf 
God  in  Christ  Jesus  concerning  us.  As  to  good  works,  we 
merely  could  not  lay  much  claim  to  these.  What  have  we  done  ? 
What  are  our  reports,  every  year,  but  reiterations  of  our  So- 
cieties !  Our  Tract  Society,  our  Missionary  and  Education  So- 
ciety, and  our  Auxiliary  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book 
Society,  are  not  only  limited  in  their  operations,  but  almost 
always  greatly  in  arrears!  Yet,  as  for  the  circulation  of  the 
Bible  and  Prayer  Book,  he  observed,  we  had  particular  reason 
to  be  prominent. 


I.     The   Churchman,   Saturday,   October    4,    1834.     Volume   IV.     No.   29. 
Whole  No.  185. 
(26) 


402  Address  by  Dr.  Schroeder.  [1834 

Look,  said  he,  at  the  History  of  the  Church  in  England, 
and  you  will  see,  that  even  from  the  commencement  of 
the  eighth  century,  our  forefathers  there  were  bright  ex- 
amples for  our  imitation.  Yes,  the  Church  from  which 
we  spring  has  been  the  very  foremost  to  translate  and  to 
promulgate  the  written  oracles  of  truth  in  the  vernacular 
language  of  the  people.  As  early  as  about  the  year  700, 
this  was  the  pious  labour  of  two  British  Bishops,  Adelem, 
who  prepared  a  Saxon  version  of  the  Psalter,  and  Egbert,  who 
translated  the  four  Gospels  into  the  same  tongue,  and  after  them, 
the  Venerable  Bede  undertook  and  completed  a  translation  of 
the  whole  sacred  text.  A  King  of  England,  also,  laid  aside  his 
crown,  and  an  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  his  mitre,  to  engage 
in  the  good  work,  and  the  imperishable  names  of  Alfred  and 
Elfric  are  now  consecrated  by  this  hallowed  association. 

And  when  the  language  of  the  country  was  in  a  transitior* 
state,  in  passing  from  the  Saxon  to  the  English,  as  remote  even 
as  the  year  1290,  a  new  version  of  the  Scriptures  was  put  forth, 
some  transcripts  of  which  are  now  reprinted  in  the  libraries  of 
Oxford  University.  Near  the  close  of  the  fourteenth  century 
Trevis  also  is  said  to  have  prepared  and  published  a  complete 
version,  and  soon  after,  about  A.  D.  1380,  the  far-famed 
"Apostle  of  England,"  the  immortal  Wickliffe  surpassed  the 
good  works  of  his  predecessors  and  this,  yea,  this  was  all  done 
half  a  century  before  the  art  of  printing  was  invented,  and  a 
century  and  a  half  before  the  epoch  of  Luther's  remarkable 
translation  in  the  German  language.  It  is  not  my  object,  said  the 
Rev.  Mr.  S.,  to  give  a  history  of  the  English  versions  of  the 
Bible,  but  I  would  revive  the  recollection  of  what  our  fore- 
fathers have  achieved,  and  show  that  they  were  prompt  and 
prominent  in  this  department  of  their  toils. 

What  in  a  word,  said  he,  was  the  origin  of  our  received 
translation,  which  we  now  read  and  circulate,  the  Bible  of  all 
sects  and  denominations  throughout  Protestant  Christendom,  by 
whom  our  language  is  now  spoken  ? 

If  I  may  thus  accommodate  the  phrase,  "we  have  ten  parts 
in  David." 

The  received  English  Version  of  the  Scriptures  was  prepared 
by  learned  and  devout  men  of  our  own  Church,  fifty-four  of 
them  having  been  appointed  for  this  task  by  King  James  of 


1834]  Address  by  Dr.  Schroeder.  403 

England,  and  forty-seven  of  them  divided  into  classes,  having 
engaged  in  its  performance.  At  Westminster  one  class  trans- 
lated the  Old  Testament  to  the  end  of  the  second  book  of  Kings, 
at  Cambridge  another  class  had  assigned  to  it  the  remaining 
portion  of  the  Old  Testament,  with  the  exception  of  the 
prophets,  and  these  occupied  the  attention  of  the  class  at  Ox- 
ford. 

The  New  Testament  was  divided  between  the  two  other 
classes,  one  at  Oxford  and  one  at  Westminster,  the  former  hav- 
ing in  charge  the  canonical  Epistles  and  the  latter  the  historical 
books  and  the  Revelation  of  St.  John. 

The  English  Bible,  prepared  and  published  in  the  year  1611, 
is  therefore,  in  a  certain  sense,  our  Bible,  the  Church's  Bible, 
the  Bible  of  Protestant  Episcopalians.  If  others  zealously 
engage  in  the  circulation  of  this  blessed  book,  we  surely  have 
a  prior  right  which  we  should  diligently  exercise.  Have  we 
been  unmindful  of  our  privilege  and  obligation  on  this  point? 
Our  delinquency  and  our  shame  the  greater!  In  the  dissemina- 
tion of  the  Scriptures  what  has  our  Society  achieved?  In  the 
year  1833  our  distribution  was  no  more  than  jj  Bibles  and  67 
Testaments!  The  report  which  has  just  been  read,  said  Mr. 
S.,  presents  indeed  a  less  humiliating  statement;  for  about  250 
Bibles  and  as  many  Testaments  have  this  year  been  gratuitously 
circulated.  But  look  at  the  wide  moral  wastes  in  our  Diocese, 
and  think  of  the  many  thousands  we  might  cheer  with  the  life 
giving  knowledge  of  a  Saviour  and  his  truth,  and  oh  what  those 
few  Bibles  and  those  few  Testaments  among  so  many  souls. 

The  American  Bible  Society,  said  Mr.  S.,  sends  forth  its 
hundreds  of  thousands  of  inspired  volumes.  Yes,  said  he,  I 
do  not  exaggerate  The  American  Bible  Society  literally  issued 
more  than  100,000  copies  of  God's  Word,  and  among  its  very 
humblest  auxiliaries  there  are  few  who  would  not  blush  to  do 
no  more  than  we  have  done  generally.  And  yet  we  have  a  vast 
field  of  labour  in  a  Diocese  nearly  equal  in  geographical  extent 
to  the  whole  of  the  Dioceses  of  England,  an  area  of  46,000 
square  miles.  Yes,  we  profess  to  contemplate  the  supply  of  our 
country;  and  we  even  own  that  the  World  is  our  field. 

There  is  one  fact  connected  with  this  subject,  said  Mr.  S., 
which  ought  to  lead  our  clerg>-  to  the  most  serious  consideration. 
It  is  a  humiliating  truth  that  the  Clergy  of  our  Diocese  as  such 


404  Address  by  Dr.  Schroeder.  [1834 

are  not  at  present  occupied  in  conducting  any  church  institution 
for  the  circulation  of  God's  holy  oracles.  We  have  no  Church 
Bible  Society  now  in  operation  in  the  management  of  which 
the  clergy  of  our  Diocese  take  part. 

The  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book 
Society  is  altogether  a  lay  instituton — its  President  a  layman, 
its  Vice  Presidents  laymen,  and  its  managers  without  exception 
lajTTien. 

This  suggestion  on  which  I  forbear  to  dwell  confiniis  the  fact 
that  we  cannot  say  much  of  our  good  works  in  the  circulation  of 
God's  holy  oracles. 

And  the  same  observation  may  be  applied  to  our  Book  of 
Prayer. 

This,  said  Mr.  S.,  the  golden  legacy  of  our  fathers  emphati- 
cally, "the  Church  Book,"  compiled  by  members  of  the  Church 
from  the  inspired  volume,  and  from  the  works  of  saints  and  mar- 
tyrs, I  might  almost  say  inspired,  and  this  precious  deposit  in  our 
hands  is  justly  called  the  "best  commentary  on  the  Scriptures," 
for  we  can  obtain  in  prayer  the  quickening  influence  of  the 
Spirit,  who  takes  of  the  things  of  Christ  and  shows  them  unto 
us.  Others  set  a  great  value  on  these  formalities.  English 
Methodists  have  adopted  them  in  the  celebration  of  public  ser- 
vice on  the  Lord's  day.  In  our  own  country  our  friends  of 
various  denominations  have  incorporated  them  in  their  prayers 
for  the  use  of  families.  I  can  call  to  mind  many,  said  Mr.  S., 
whom  I  sincerely  love  among  my  fellow  Christians  of  some 
other  Churches,  who  highly  appreciate  and  devoutly  use  our 
inimitable  Liturgy,  yea,  godly  men,  whose  bright  flame  of  piety 
has  often  kindled  in  my  soul  the  love  of  Christ. 

In  a  recent  conversation,  said  he,  with  that  holy  man  of  God, 
Winslow,  the  American  Missionary  at  Ceylon,  it  was  my  hap- 
piness to  hear  him  bear  a  striking  testimony  to  our  Prayer 
Book.  When  I  asked  him  to  detail  the  modes  in  which  his 
public  service  was  conducted  with  the  natives  at  Ceylon,  he 
answered,  I  use  certain  portions  of  your  Prayer  Book,  trans- 
lated for  the  people,  and  familiarize  to  their  minds,  and  this  I 
find  to  be  the  best  mode  for  them,  for  it  effectually  fixes  their 
attention  and  secures  their  interest. 

Mr.  S.  alluded  then  to  the  deep  interest  excited  in  the  Church 
by  our  proposed  missionary  station  in  China,  and  spoke  of  the 


1834]  Address  by  Dr.  Schroeder.  405 

recent  labours  of  Dr.  Morrison  there,  in  translating  the  Church 
service  into  Chinese;  so  that  as  he  said,  these  forms  of  prayers 
will  soon  become  spiritual  pioneers  to  make  the  rough  places 
plain  that  with  a  firm  step  we  may  advance  in  the  name  and  by 
the  help  of  the  Lord,  and  gather  the  rich  fruits  which  now  await 
us.  But  while  other  Christians  have  been  alive  to  the  conver- 
sion of  the  world,  have  we,  said  he,  yielded  our  due  share  of 
effort?  We  have  left  undone  more  things  which  we  ought  to 
have  done.  We  have  certainly  on  this  point  no  boast  to  make 
of  our  good  works.  But  do  we  show  our  faith  without  Works? 
Are  we  absorbed  in  the  "abstractions  of  devout  feeling."  I 
regret,  said  Mr.  S.,  that  at  our  anniversaries  we  have  dwelt  so 
much  upon  our  dollars  and  cents,  and  our  want  of  money,  thus 
seeming  to  imply  that  there  is  the  seat  of  our  disease.  Oh.  no, 
said  he,  the  malady  lies  deeper  than  our  pockets.  The  disease  is 
at  the  heart.  The  whole  heart  is  faint.  We  have  no  means 
because  we  have  no  hearts  to  give.  Let  the  principle  of  action 
be  implanted,  and  then  alone  can  we  be  healed  of  our  infirmity. 
I  would  advert  here,  said  he,  to  the  motives  which  are  often 
urged  to  contribute  to  the  treasures  of  the  Lord.  He  then  ad- 
verted to  the  mode  of  heading  a  subscription  with  a  large 
amount,  and  thus  exciting  emulation  among  rich  men,  not  to  be 
behind  their  peer  in  wealth, — low  motives,  said  he,  utterly  un- 
worthy of  followers  of  Jesus.  He  referred  to  the  Gospel 
principle,  as  inculcated  in  the  Scripture,  and  set  forth  in  our 
thirteenth  Article, — Works  done  before  the  grace  of  Christ,  and 
the  inspiration  of  the  Spirit,  are  not  pleasant  unto  God,  foras- 
much as  they  spring  not  of  faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  Yea,  and 
"they  have  the  nature  of  sin."  It  is  only  the  regenerated  soul 
that  is  prepared  for  any  works  demanding  a  self-sacrifice,  for 
Christ.  Should  the  time  come,  said  he,  when  some  of  us  may 
be  required  to  endanger,  if  not  forfeit,  life  in  the  cause  of  the 
circulation  of  the  Bible,  are  there  not  many  here  who  would 
dare  to  do  their  duty  as  Protestant  Episcopalians?  He  spoke 
then  of  the  Apostles  and  Martyrs  of  the  English  Church,  and 
alluded  to  some  of  them  who  gave  their  bodies  to  be  burned, 
and  whose  souls  went  up  to  heaven  in  flames  of  martyrdom. 
Had  we  the  Gospel  spirit  of  these  holy  men  should  we  want  the 
means?  Our  hearts,  said  he,  our  hearts  I  fear,  are  not  right  in 
the  sight  of  God.  But  what  remedy  may  be  prescribed  for  this 
state  of  things? 


406  Nineteenth  Auxiliary  Report.  [1834 

Let  the  clergy,  said  he,  be  as  decided  and  faithful  as  they  can, 
in  teaching  by  what  tenure  our  enjoyments  are  possessed,  all  we 
are  and  all  we  have,  our  bodies  and  our  souls,  but  intellectual 
and  moral  faculties  belong  to  God;  and  we  have  nothing  but 
what  he  has  given  us  by  Christ,  and  in  consideration  of  what  he 
has  done.  Let  the  motives  of  the  Gospel  be  urged  uniformly 
and  consistently,  both  by  precept  and  example;  and  let  the 
people  know  and  feel  w-hose  is  the  silver  and  the  gold.  In  a 
moment,  said  he,  God  can  take  you  away  from  your  possessions, 
or  can  take  your  possessions  away  from  you;  and  your  bodily 
powers  are  at  his  command.  Have  you  the  gift  of;  hearing? 
His  unseen  hand  shall  but  touch  that  ear,  and  it  shall  cease  to  do 
its  office.  Have  you  the  gift  of  sight?  The  same  unseen  may 
touch  that  eye  and  extinguish  it  forever.  The  bodily  powers 
may  be  at  any  instant  paralyzed  by  Him,  in  whom  we  live  and 
move  and  have  our  being.  And  as  we  belong  to  God  by  a  three- 
fold claim — creation,  providence  and  grace — we  are  bound  by 
every  motive  to  renounce  ourselves  and  to  do  only  those  things 
which  are  acceptable  in  his  sight. 

Mr.  S.  then  adverted  to  the  wealth  of  Episcopalians  in  our  city, 
and  observed  that  by  the  last  assessment,  the  amount  of  real  and 
personal  estate  was  188,000,000  dollars,  about  $50,000,000 
was  computed  to  be  in  the  hands  of  Episcopalians!  O,  said  he, 
that  one  tithe  of  this  was  consecrated  unto  God,  one  hundredth 
part,  one  thousandth  part.  O,  that  as  men  and  Episcopalians, 
we  were  more  impressed  with  the  responsibilities  for  the  in- 
numerable blessings  which  are  showered  upon  us.  O  tliat  we 
were  constrained  by  the  privileges  and  precepts  of  the  Gospel, 
unreser\edly  to  dedicate  our  souls  and  bodies  unto  Him,  who 
bought  us  and  to  lay  our  earthly  treasures  at  his  feet.  Though 
he  was  rich,  yet  for  your  sake  he  became  poor,  that  we  through 
his  poverty  might  be  rich.^ 

Nineteenth  Auxiliary  Report. 

Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society. 
Extract  from  the  Nineteenth  Annual  Report. 

From  the  report  of  the  Agent  it  will  be  observed  that  during 

I.  The  Churchman,  Saturday,  October  ii,  1834.  Volume  IV.  No.  30. 
Whole  No.  186. 


1834]  Nineteenth  Auxiliary  Report.  407 

the  past  year  there  have  been  printed  from  the  stereotype  plates 
lately  purchased  more  than  3,000  Bibles,  there  have  likewise 
been  printed  of  Common  Prayer  Books  8,750  and  of  Hymn 
Books  2,000;  making  in  the  aggregate  nearly  14,000  this  year 
printed  by  the  Society. 

There  have  been  gratuitously  distributed  261  Bibles,  269 
Testaments,  206  Hymns  and  3,603  Books  of  Common  Prayer; 
making  in  the  whole  a  gratuitous  distribution  of  4,339  books. 
From  the  foregoing  it  will  be  seen  that  the  most  has  been  made 
of  the  slender  means  of  the  Society,  and  before  proceeding  to 
make  any  observations  which  may  seem  not  only  appropriate  to 
the  occasion  but  absolutely  required  by  it,  the  Managers  beg 
leave  to  advert  to  the  situation  of  this  Diocese,  as  bearing  upon 
the  condition  of  our  Society. 

At  the  period  of  the  last  Annual  Convention  of  this  Diocese 
the  number  of  Missionary  stations  appeared  to  be  not  less  than 
103.  These  Missionary  stations  require  the  aid  of  precisely  such 
a  society  as  this.  Were  the  Missionaries  at  these  several  places 
adequately  supplied  with  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  the  pure  evan- 
gelical and  inspiring  ritual  of  our  own  Church,  it  might  not 
be  easy  to  estimate  the  happy  effect  that  would  ensue. 

Fifty  copies  of  the  Holy  Bible  and  as  many  of  the  Common 
Prayer  Book;  beside  Testaments  and  Hymn  Books,  would  prob- 
ably not  be  an  extravagant  average  for  the  annual  supply  of 
each  station.  This  distribution  aided  by  a  clear  and  sober  ex- 
position of  the  Holy  Scriptures  and  by  a  bold,  ardent  and  per- 
suasive preaching  of  the  Gospel,  would  afford  a  reasonable 
ground  not  only  for  a  rapid  promulgation  of  a  knowledge  of 
the  kingdom  of  the  Redeemer,  but  for  a  sound  understanding 
of  his  doctrines,  and  a  happy  acceptance  of  his  promises,  and  for 
the  judicious  establishment  of  a  Church  upon  earth,  in  that  de- 
vout and  elevated  form  of  public  worship,  whose  consolations  we 
are  permitted  to  enjoy,  and  whose  consolations  we,  therefore,  are 
anxious  to  extend.  The  power,  however,  of  annually  distrib- 
uting 5,000  copies  of  the  Bible  and  as  many  of  the  Prayer  Book, 
we  fear  that  we  must  sigh  for  in  vain.  Why  our  ability  should 
remain  so  contracted,  we  confess  we  know  not;  for  in  this  dio- 
cese alone  there  are  about  200  clergymen,  between  10,000  and 
11,000  communicants,  and  perhaps  four  or  five  times  that  num- 
ber who  have  been  admitted  into  the  bosom  of  our  Church  by  the 


408  Nineteenth  Auxiliary  Report.  [1834 

sacred  rite  of  baptism,  solemnly  assumed  by  them  in  their  maturer 
years.  Of  this  army  of  Christians  what  a  small  pittance  from 
each  would  accomplish  a  noble  result;  would  send  far  and  wide 
lo  be  most  judiciously  distributed  and  clearly  explained  the  glad 
tidings  of  peace  and  salvation;  and  would  establish  in  all  parts 
of  our  diocese,  and  thence  we  know  not  how  much  further,  the 
Church  of  the  living  God,  the  ground  and  pillar  of  the  truth." 
The  means  therefore  are  not  wanting  in  ourselves;  and  if  our 
objects  be  good,  we  must  look  for  the  cause  of  the  deficiency  of 
the  supply  elsewhere  than  in  the  smallness  of  our  resources. 
VVe  would  not  wish  to  be  understood  as  wishing  to  limit  our 
exertions  to  the  missionary  establishments,  in  our  own  diocese, 
or  our  own  Church. 

The  report  of  the  agent  shows  the  extent  of  our  operations 
far  beyond  these  limits;  and  we  would,  if  we  could,  send  our 
heralds  on  the  highroads  and  in  the  wilderness,  on  the  mountain 
and  the  sea.  until  every  language,  however  obscure,  resounded 
with  the  tidings  of  eternal  life;  and  every  people,  however  re- 
mote, were  made  recipients  of  its  blessings. 

Such  effects,  however,  we  can  but  remotely  look  for;  and  in 
the  meanwhile  we  point  you  to  our  immediate  neighbors,  simply 
to  show  how  great  and  urgent  are  their  demands,  ho  wpoor  is 
their  supply,  and  how  rich  a  harvest  we  are  suffering  to  be  lost, 
not  for  want  of  strength  to  take  it  in,  but  from  an  absolute  and 
perhaps  we  may  add  a  culpable  inaction.^ 

The  Society  felt  keenly  the  apparent  indifference  of  many 
Churchmen,  it  knew  that  the  clergy  and  laymen  who  are  the 
officers  of  the  parent  society  were  awaiting  the  result  of  nego- 
tiations which  had  been  carried  on  for  some  years  looking  to  a 
union  of  the  two  societies.  The  mind  of  the  Church,  as  shown 
by  a  series  of  articles  in  "The  Churchman"  in  the  summer  of 
1834.  was  for  one  general  society.  Other  writers  in  the  same 
paper  also  advocated  union.^ 


1.  The  Churchman,  Saturday,  December  13,  1834.  Volume  IV.  No.  39. 
Whole  No.  195. 

2.  The  first  article  appeared  on  August  16,  1834.  It  was  entitled:  "A 
General  Episcopal  Bible,  Prayer  Book  and  Tract  Society."  The  seventh 
and  last  article  appeared  on  December  20,  1834.  It  was  entitled,  "Superior 
Advantages." 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

CONTENTS. 

Joint  Anniversary  Meeting  of  the  Societies  at  Utica  in  1859  —  Twen- 
tieth Annual  Report  of  the  Auxiliary  Society  —  Formation  of  a  Bible 
and  Prayer  Book  Society  at  Wilmington,  N.  C,  —  Donation  of  Books  by 
the  New  York  Auxiliary  to  the  Wilmington  Society  —  G>nstant  Testimony 
Borne  to  the  Missionary  Influence  of  the  Prayer  Book  —  Results  in  Wil- 
mington—  Society  Formed  at  Providence,  R.  I.  —  The  Last  Report  of  the 
Auxiliary  Probably  Issued  —  Apathy  of  Churchmen  in  General  to  the  Two 
N.  Y.  Societies  Beginning  to  be  Felt  —  Society  Compelled  to  Refuse  a  Grant  of 
Books  to  the  Newly  Organized  Chapel  in  Paris  —  Propositions  from  the  Tract 
Society  Declined — Charter  of  N.  Y.  Auxiliary  Society  Expires  March  28,  1837 — 
Effects  of  the  Auxiliary  Society  —  Transferred  to  the  Parent  Society,  July 
I,  1837  —  Conferences  Held  on  the  Matter  of  the  New  Society  to  Supersede 
the  Two  Former  Ones  —  Constitution  of  the  New  York  Bible  and  Common 
Prayer  Book  Society  Adopted,  April  19,  1837  —  Arrangements  Made  with 
the  Tract  Society  —  Committee  Appointed  on  an  Edition  of  the  Prayer 
Book  with  its  Rubrics  in  Red  —  Form  of  Service  Set  Forth  by  Bishop 
Onderdonk  for  the  Meetings  of  the  Society  —  First  Anniversary  of  the 
New  Society  Held  October  5,  1837  —  Its  Report  —  New  Edition  of  5,000 
Prayer  Books  —  Pamphlet  Edition  of  the  Prayer  Book  in  German  Issued  — 

FOR  the  first  time  since  its  organization  the  AitxiHary  and 
other  diocesan  societies  held  their  joint  anniversary  outside 
the  city  of  New  York.     The  growth  of  the  Church  in  the 
"Western  District"  and  the  discussion  of  the  necessity  for 
a  division  of  the  Diocese  made  it  highly  necessary  that  the  south- 
ern clergymen  and  laymen  should  see  for  themselves  the  strength 
that  had  been  developed. 

The  Bishop  accordingly  appointed  the  city  of  Utica  as  the 
place  of  meeting. 

Upon  Thursday,  October  i,  1835,  a  large  representation  both 
of  the  clergy  and  laity  of  the  western  counties  and  of  the  more 

409 


410  Meeting  at  Utica.  [1835 

influential  parishes  of  the  southern  part  of  the  State  assembled 
in  Trinity  Church,  for  the  opening  service/ 

•Upon  the  evening  of  that  day  was  held  the  anniversary  of 
which  Mr.  Seaman  gives  this  account  which  is  prefixed  to  the 
Annual  Report  for  1835 : 

Proceedings. 

The  twentieth  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Auxiliary  New  York 
Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  in  conjunction  with  that 
of  the  New  York  Protestant  Episcopal  Tract  Society,  and  of  the 
Educational  and  Missionary  Society  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church  in  the  State  of  New  York,  was  celebrated  in  Trinity 
Church  in  the  city  of  Utica,  on  Thursday  evening,  the  first  of 
October,  1835,  being  the  day  of  the  meeting  of  the  Convention 
of  this  Diocese. 

The  celebration  was  preceded  by  appropriate  religious  ser- 
vices conducted  by  the  Right  Rev.  Bishop  of  the  Diocese  who 
presided  on  the  occasion.  The  congregation  was  numerous,  a 
large  number  of  the  clergy  and  laity  attending  the  Convention 
being  present. 

The  twentieth  annual  Report  of  the  Board  of  Managers  was 
read  by  Fredk.  De  Peyster,  Esq.,  whereupon  the  following  reso- 
lutions were  ofifered  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  McVickar. 

Resolved,  That  the  report  just  read  be  printed  and  distributed 
under  the  direction  of  the  Board  of  Managers. 

Resolved,  That  the  members  of  this  meeting  deem  it  their 
bounden  duty  to  express  their  unfeigned  and  devout  thanks  to 
Almighty  God  for  the  degree  of  prosperity  which  it  hath  pleased 
him  to  vouchsafe  to  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Com- 
mon Prayer  Book  Society,  enabling  it  during  the  comparative 
brief  period  of  its  existence  to  distribute  gratuitously  upwards  of 
sixty  thousand  volumes  of  the  Word  of  God  and  its  most  valu- 
able commentary  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer. 

Resolved,  That  while  we  look  back  at  the  past  with  great  satis- 
faction,  we   look   forward  with  delighted  hope  to  the  blessed 

I.  For  an  account  of  this  Convention  see  Journal  Diocese  of  Western 
New  York.    1885.    pp.  152-156. 

Also  the  Diocese  of  Western  New  York,  History  and  Recollections,  by 
Charles  W.  Hayes,   pp.  97-102. 


1835]  Meeting  at  Utica.  411 

results  yet  to  be  achieved  by  the  future  action  of  this  meritorious 
Society,  strengthened  and  encouraged  as  we  trust  it  will  be  here- 
after by  the  liberal  benefactions  of  its  friends  in  every  parish  of 
our  extensive  Diocese. 

The  resolutions  for  the  several  Societies  were  sustained  by  the 
reverend  gentlemen  who  offered  them  by  able  and  appropriate 
addresses. 

The  exercises  of  the  evening  were  such  as  to  impart  to  all  feel- 
ings of  the  highest  gratification.  The  services  were  concluded 
by  singing  a  part  of  the  sixty-ninth  Psalm/  and  by  appropriate 
devotions  conducted  by  the  Bishop. 

The  Society  was  then  organized  under  its  second  Vice  Presi- 
dent, Charles  Keeler.  Esq.,  whereupon  it  was  on  motion, 

Resolved,  That  the  reading  of  the  minutes  of  the  last  Annual 
Meeting  be  dispensed  with  this  evening. 

Resolved,  That  this  Society  do  now  adjourn  to  meet  again  for 
the  transaction  of  its  ordinary  business  at  the  buildings  of  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Press  in  the  city  of  New  York  on  Wednes- 
day evening  the  7th  instant,  at  7  o'clock. 

Henry  I.  Seaman,  Secretary.' 

The  list  of  officers,  October  7,  1835,  ^^  entered  on  the  minutes, 
with  several  notes  made  evidently  by  Mr.  William  H.  Bell  at  a 
later  date. 

William  E.  Dunscomb,  President. 

Henry  Cotheal,  ist  Vice  President. 

Charles  Keeler,  2nd  Vice  President. 

John  Alstyne,  3rd  Vice  President. 

C.  N.  S.  Rowland,  Corresponding  Secretary. 

Henry  I.  Seaman,  Recording  Secretary. 

Thomas  Browning,  Treasurer. 

Floyd  Smith,  Agent. 


Selection  69. 

From  the  xc.  Psalm  of  David. 

Part  I. 
I.    O  Lx>rd,  the  Saviour  and  defence 
Of  us  thy  Chosen  race. 
From  age  to  age  thou  still  hast  been 
Our  sure  abiding  place. 
This  selection  is  not  in  the  present  Hymnal. 
Mss.  Records,  folio  i. 


412  Twentieth  Auxiliary  Report.  [1835 


Managers: — Lewis  Curtis,  William  Betts,  William  H.  Ho 
bart,  M.D.  (died  February,  1857),  Charles  I.  Aldis,  Fredk.  De 
Peyster,  Saml.  J.  Beebee,  G.  G.  Van  Wagenen,  Jonas  Butler, 
William  M.  Benjamin,  James  D.  Fitch,  M.D.,  William  H. 
Beare,  J.  R.  Taylor,  Lewis  Phillips,  Fdk.  S.  Winston,\  William 

I.  Mr.  David  Perkins  was  elected  a  Member  of  the  Board  in  the  evening 
of  the  I2th  of  October,  to  fill  the  vacancy  occasioned  by  the  resignation  of 
Mr.  Winston. 

H.   Townsend   (dead),  Henry  C.  Davis,   Herman   D.  Aldrich, 
John  Brouwer. 

Twentieth  Auxiliary  Report. 

The  termination  of  their  annual  duties  enables  the  Managers 
of  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book 
Society  to  present  to  its  members  a  review  of  the  occurrences  of 
the  past,  and  the  prospects  of  the  coming  year;  and  to  suggest 
the  means  of  a  more  efficient  development  and  application  of  the 
resources  within  their  power. 

The  reix>rts  made  by  the  Treasurer  and  Agent  exhibit  the 
state  and  disposition  of  the  funds,  and  of  donations  by  this 
Board.  From  these  it  will  be  seen  that  the  Society  is  in  a  state 
of  progressive  prosperity,  with  its  permanent  debt  extinguished, 
the  field  of  its  operations  greatly  enlarged,  and  its  consequent 
usefulness  happily  increased. 

The  aggregate  receipts  for  the  current  year  into  the  Treasury 
amount  to  $1,590.53,  and  the  expenses  to  $1,531.65.  The  debt 
remaining  due  on  account  of  the  Permanent  Fund  at  the  close  of 
the  last  year  (and  now  paid)  was  $242.59.  The  Society,  how- 
ever, is  indebted  to  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Press  on  account  of 
the  Disposable  Fund  about  $200.  For  the  information  of  those 
not  conversant  with  the  history  of  the  Society,  it  may  be  well  to 
state  that  the  Permanent  Fund  is  derived  from  the  avails  of  life 
subscriptions,  donations  for  that  object  specifically  given,  and 
the  profits  arising  from  the  use  of  them  of  certain  stereotype 
plates,  while  the  Disposable  Fund  is  made  up  of  all  moneys  ac- 
cruing from  other  sources. 

These  stereotype  plates  are  the  property  of  the  Society,  and 
are  estimated  to  be  worth  about  $5,000.  They  consist  of  various 
sets,  viz. — one  set  of  i2mo.  and  one  of  i8mo.  of  the  Bible,  and 


1835]  Twentieth  Auxiliary  Report.  413 

three  sets  of  i8mo.  of  the  Prayer  Book;  these  with  the  Perma- 
nent Fund  constitute  the  capital. 

The  compensation  for  the  use  of  the  plates  obtained  during 
this  past  year  amounts  to  $171.50.  To  this,  sum  is  to  be  added 
$48,  being  the  interest  of  $800,  the  cost  of  the  8vo.  plates,  making 
together  $219.60.  These  sums  are  credited  to  the  Permanent 
Fund  for  the  purpose  of  making  provision  for  the  repair  of  the 
present  plates  and  purchase  of  others.  The  Treasurer's  Report 
shows  the  source  from  whence  the  income  of  the  Society  has 
been  derived,  and  the  various  modes  in  which  it  has  from  time 
to  time  been  appropriated. 

It  would  occupy  too  much  of  the  time  of  the  members  to  enter 
into  details  of  this  department,  but  a  reference  is  requested  to  a 
copy  of  this  document,  which  is  herewith  submitted. 

The  Report  of  the  Agent  affords  the  gratifying  testimony  of 
the  active  business  of  the  Society.  The  details  connected  with 
the  distribution  of  the  Bible  and  the  Prayer  Book  throughout  the 
limits  of  our  Union,  indicate  the  numerous  channels  through 
which  the  products  of  its  ceaseless  exertions  are  unremittingly 
borne,  to  supply  the  wants,  not  only  of  those  in  our  own  imme- 
diate vicinity,  but  those  more  remotely  removed,  or  dwelling  ^s 
it  were  in  the  very  wilderness — shut  out  from  the  blessed  ordi- 
nance of  the  Church  and  all  communion  with  its  clergy.  But 
in  further  evidence  of  the  gradual  but  steady  progress  of  the 
Society  in  the  accomplishment  of  the  great  objects  of  its  institu- 
tion, it  may  be  useful  to  state  generally,  that  there  have  been 
gratuitously  distributed  during  the  past  year  jyj  Bibles,  724 
Testaments,  148  Psalms  and  Hymns,  and  4,732  Prayer  Books. 
The  attention  of  the  Society  and  of  others  friendly  to  its  objects, 
is  particularly  called  to  this  latter  report  as  peculiarly  exemplify- 
ing in  views  already  taken  of  its  widely  diffused  and  beneficial 
operations.  The  term  "Auxiliary"  in  the  title  of  this  Society, 
rightly  implies  a  subordinate  sphere  of  action.  From  the 
force  of  circumstances,  however,  incidents  interwoven  with 
its  early  history,  and  the  gradual  enlargement  of  its  means, 
it  has  far  outstripped  the  original  design  of  mere  diocesan  relief, 
and  has  rendered  itself  in  effect  a  general  institution  of  the 
Church.  In  all  their  general  appropriations,  consistently  with 
their  resources,  this  Board  of  Managers  have  been  guided  by 
the  principle  of  unqualified  liberality,  and  their  Committee  of 


414  Twentieth  Auxiliary  Report.  [1835 

Distribution,  seconded  by  the  zealous  and  efficient  services  of 
the  Agent — services  the  more  meritorious  from  their  being  gra- 
tuitously rendered — have  endeavoured  to  meet  the  many  and 
pressing  calls  for  donations  with  even  and  impartial  liberality. 

From  every  quarter  of  our  widely  extended  country  these 
applications  are  received.  Some  of  them  are  occasionally  couched 
in  language  of  the  most  touching  entreaty.  They  have  not  been 
disregarded.  In  all  practicable  cases  these  applications  have  with 
promptitude  been  responded  to,  and  the  "bread  thus  cast  on  the 
waters"  has  oftentimes  furnished  sustenance  and  proved  a  bless- 
ing to  those  who  perchance  had  otherwise  spiritually  perished. 

A  variety  of  delightful  examples  of  the  happy  results  arising 
from  the  incorporation  of  this  Society  might  be  adduced;  many 
of  these  of  a  very  interesting  nature;  but  two  instances  of  the 
kind,  from  their  intrinsic  merit,  and  for  reasons  subsequently 
stated,  the  Board  cannot  refrain  from  communicating. 

A  soldier  in  the  United  States  Army,  in  a  frontier  State,  re- 
ceived through  the  Agent  several  religious  publications.  In  a 
letter  acknowledging  their  receipt  he  with  affecting  simplicity, 
describes  his  own  grateful  emotions,  the  good  these  works  had 
already  done  to  himself,  his  comrades  and  others,  and  returns  his 
warmest  thanks  to  all  who  were  "concerned  in  the  gifts."  This 
letter  was  published  in  the  Churchman  of  the  i8th  of  July  last, 
and  it  is  here  further  adverted  to  (to  adopt  an  observation  of  the 
Editor)  as  one  among  many  evidences  which  are  continually 
recurring,  of  the  great  good  effected  in  a  quiet  and  unobtrusive 
way  by  the  excellent  Societies  of  our  Church.^ 

The  other  incident  was  derived  from  a  clergyman  of  our 
Church,  and  is  further  illustrative  of  the  utility  of  this  and  simi- 
lar institutions  in  enlarging  the  borders  of  our  Church;  and 
keeping  alive  the  good  seed  when  sown.  Its  recital  may  more 
warmly  interest  the  hearts  of  some  to  persevere  in  like  "well 
doing"  and  afford  all  that  gratification  which  arises  from  the 
knowledge  of  success  attending  well  directed  and  piously  con- 
tinued efforts. 

Soon  after  the  organization  of  this  Society  an  application  was 
received  from  a  Bible  and  Prayer  Book  Society,  then  recently 

I.  The  Churchman,  Saturday,  July  i8,  1835.  Volume  V.  No.  18.  Whole 
No.  226. 


1835]  •  Twentieth  Auxiliary  Report.  415 

formed  in  Wilmington,  N.  C,  for  a  donation  of  books  to  assist 
them  in  the  commencement  of  their  operations.  This  request 
gave  rise  to  an  able  and  animated  discussion,  whether  the  bene- 
factions of  this  Society  should  be  extended  beyond  the  limits  of 
our  Diocese.  It  was  finally  in  substance  decided  that  in  humble 
dependence  upon  the  great  Head  of  the  Church  for  the  means  of 
accomplishing  so  noble  a  resolution,  they  would  meet  and  supply 
any  demand  made  upon  the  Society's  depository,  come  Trom 
what  quarter  of  our  country  or  the  world  it  might.  Accordingly 
a  donation  of  Bibles  and  Prayer  Books  was  made  to  the  Wil- 
mington Society,  who  upon  their  receipt  advertised  them  for 
sale  at  a  reduced  price.  The  advertisement  casually  came  under 
the  observation  of  an  aged  member  of  our  Church,  who  resided 
in  the  interior  of  North  Carolina.  In  early  life  he,  with  his  wife 
had  emigrated  from  one  of  the  New  England  States,  and  found 
themselves  far  remote  from  any  congregation  of  that  Church  in 
which  they  had  been  brought  up,  and  to  the  services  of  which  he 
was  devotedly  attached. 

To  remedy  this  deprivation  as  far  as  possible  he  did  what 
every  pious  Churchman  ought  to  do  under  similar  circumstances 
— he  commenced  the  duties  of  lay  reader  in  his  own  house.  As 
his  family  and  household  increased,  the  few  Prayer  Books  which 
he  had  brought  originally  with  him  became  inadequate  to  their 
wants.  His  children  as  years  revolved  had  grown  up,  and  some 
were  married.  A  numerous  progeny  clustered  around  the  ven- 
erable grandsire,  all  of  whom  he  had  strictly  and  carefully  edu- 
cated in  the  faith,  and  accustomed  to  the  worship  of  the  Protest- 
ant Episcopal  Church.  For  forty  years  nearly  he  had  been  cut 
off  from  all  intercourse  with  members  of  his  own  Church,  and 
during  this  long  period  no  Episcopal  clergyman  had  ever  visited 
this  secluded  but  truly  Episcopal  settlement.  Oftentimes  he 
lamented  the  worn  and  tattered  condition,  and  deficient  number 
of  the  few  Prayer  Books  which  were  on  hand  and  with  which 
he  had  faithfully  and  devotedly  instructed  those  whom  God  had 
intrusted  to  his  care. 

Imagine  his  joy  when  the  advertisement  referred  to  met  his 
eye. 

Forthwith  he  despatched  his  eldest  son  to  Wilmington,  with 
authority  to  purchase  all  the  Prayer  Books.  In  due  season  the 
faithful  son  returned  with  his  precious  charge  to  gladden  the 


416  Twentieth  Auxiliary  Report.  [1835 


eyes  of  his  delighted  father  and  numerous  descendants.  The 
worship  of  the  Church  so  long  and  piously  maintained,  and  now 
the  more  zealously  continued,  was  not  without  its  fruits.  Every 
member  of  that  family  became  in  truth  endued  with  a  spirit  of 
piety,  and  an  earnest  attachment  to  our  Church.  And  so  ex- 
emplary was  the  zeal  of  the  good  old  man  in  this  respect,  that 
no  efforts  of  his  neighbouring  denominations  could  ever  induce 
any  of  his  family  to  abandon  it.  At  length  it  pleased  Almighty 
God  to  reward  such  constancy  in  well-doing  by  sending  among 
this  united  household  that  truly  apostolic  prelate  the  late  Bishop 
Ravenscroft. 

In  expectation  of  this  visit,  the  venerable  patriarch  had  as- 
sembled his  family  and  kinsmen  in  the  usual  place  of  worship,  the 
schoolhouse. 

The  Bishop,  attired  in  his  appropriate  robes,  and  attended  by 
several  of  his  presbyters,  soon  thereafter  arrived.  All  were 
eagerly  and  with  breathless  silence  awaiting  their  approach.  To 
them  the  event  was  of  deep  and  pervading  interest.  This  Bishop 
at  the  head  of  his  attending  clergy  entered.  The  aged  grandsire 
then  arose  from  his  seat,  and  slowly  moving  toward  the  door, 
they  met  midway  between  the  entrance  and  the  chancel  fitted  up 
at  the  farthest  end  of  the  building.  The  venerable  old  man, 
clasping  the  Bishop  in  his  arms,  audibly  blessed  God  that  he  had 
at  last  permitted  him  to  see  one  of  the  Chief  Ministers  of  the 
Church.  Long  and  ardent  were  the  embraces  of  these  two  emi- 
nent servants  of  the  Most  High.  The  event  constituted  an  era 
in  the  life  of  both.  It  could  never  be  forgotten  by  those  who 
beheld  it.  The  service  proceeded,  and  the  ordinance  of  Baptism 
was  administered  to  all  except  the  aged  parents ;  and  subsequently 
the  rite  of  Confirmation  and  the  Holy  Communion  were  admin- 
istered to  all  for  the  first  time. 

It  only  remains  to  be  added  that  this  interesting  family  con- 
stituted the  nucleus  of  one  of  the  largest  Episcopal  congregations 
which  is  now  to  be  found  in  the  Diocese  of  North  Carolina.^ 

The  Board  of  Managers  proceeded  to  state  that  in  our  Diocese 
the  greater  proportion  of  this  Society's  gratuitous  distributions 
during  the  past  year  has  as  usual  been  made.     But  besides  this 

I.  A  careful  examination  of  the  Journals  of  the  Diocese  of  North  Caro- 
lina for  the  period  named  in  this  narrative  fails  to  identify  either  the  town 
or  the  gentleman  here  mentioned. 


1835]  Twentieth  Auxiliary  Report.  417 

ample  field  for  strenuous  exertions,  almost  every  State  and  Ter- 
ritory in  our  political  confederacy,  our  Army,  Navy,  and  com- 
mercial marine,  the  classic  regions  of  Greece,  and  the  enthralled 
isles  of  the  Pacific  have  likewise  participated  in  the  blessed  at- 
tempts made  to  extend  to  them  the  "bread  of  life"  and  the  ser- 
vices of  our  Church.  Nor  have  public  and  private  institutions, 
whether  for  public  instruction  or  eleemosynary  relief,  our  prisons 
and  our  penitentiaries  been  forgotten.  These  successively  and 
on  various  occasions  have  experienced  our  kind  offices.  During 
the  past  year  our  valuable  Auxiliary,  the  Bible,  Prayer  Book  and 
Tract  Society  of  the  General  Theological  Seminary,  has  been 
materially  instrumental  in  usefully  extending  our  distributions. 
The  fact  is  stated  with  the  greater  satisfaction  as  it  furnishes  an 
interesting  testimony  of  the  activity  and  zeal  of  that  invaluable 
and  united  body  of  individuals,  to  whom  in  a  very  great  degree 
will  be  confided  the  future  interests  and  enlargement  of  our 
beloved  Church. 

It  is  therefore  peculiarly  essential  that  those  who  are  in  train- 
ing for  the  exercise  of  the  ministry  should  partake  amply  of  the 
spirit  of  this  Church,  and  mingle  largely  in  the  management  and 
concerns  connected  with  her  benevolent  institutions.  Acting  in 
concert,  endued  with  the  same  pious  zeal,  emulous  of  the  same 
glorious  result,  by  them  and  through  them  the  diffusion  of  the 
Scriptures  and  our  Book  of  Common  Prayer  may  be  at  all  times 
appropriately  conducted. 

As  a  subject  of  additional  congratulation,  the  Board  are  happy 
to  announce  that  a  Society  has  recently  been  formed  at  Provi- 
dence, R.  I.,  which  has  declared  itself  auxiliary  to  this,  and  whose 
object  is  the  distribution  of  the  Bible,  the  Book  of  Common 
Prayer  and  religious  tracts.  In  connection  with  these  circum- 
stances it  is  with  renewed  satisfaction  the  Managers  acknowledge 
the  great  facilities  afforded  the  Society  in  the  transaction  of  its 
business  by  the  New  York  Protestant  Episcopal  Press,  the  Agent 
of  which  is  also  the  agent  of  this  Board,  and  who  zealously 
exerts  himself  in  all  that  concerns  or  can  promote  their  mutual 
welfare  and  usefulness.  In  regard  to  the  mode  of  more  fully 
and  effectually  testing  and  increasing  the  resources  of  this  So- 
ciety, the  Board  of  Managers  beg  leave  to  submit  to  the  members 
a  few  suggestions  for  their  consideration  and  advisement. 

It  is  well  known  that  most  of  the  donations  made  by  the  Man- 

(27) 


418  Twentieth  Auxiliary  Report.  [1835< 

agers,  upon  applications  from  the  several  dioceses  and  elsewhere^ 
are  gratuitous. 

From  many  of  these  beneficiaries  no  remuneration  ought  or 
can  be  expected;  but  with  many  others  the  reverse  is  the  case; 
and  in  the  spirit  of  Christian  charity  it  becomes  incumbent  upon 
them  to  aid  in  imparting  to  others  a  portion  of  which  they  have 
freely  partaken. 

When,  therefore,  donations  are  made  to  congregations  in  their 
incipient  formation,  it  can,  no  doubt,  after  their  matured  estab- 
lishment, be  in  their  power  by  occasional  collections,  no  matter 
how  small,  to  make  remittances  in  aid  of  our  funds.  Such  col- 
lections, if  prefaced  by  a  brief  account  of  the  design  and  tendency 
of  this  association,  and  steadily  persevered  in,  would,  it  is  to  be 
reasonably  presumed,  yield  annually  in  the  aggregate  no  incon- 
siderable amount ;  and  thus  by  its  economical  employment,  being" 
dispensed  to  others,  might  enable  them  in  turn  to  assist  in  similar 
manner  for  promoting  the  same  fundamental  objects. 

Were,  morover,  individuals  possessing  the  ability  to  keep  in 
mind  the  spiritual  necessities  and  impoverished  circumstances  of 
a  large  mass  of  the  members  of  our  communion,  and  cast  in  for 
this  purpose  their  offerings,  however  comparatively  trifling,  their 
respective  contributions,  swelling  in  their  gradual  accumulation^ 
when  gleaned  on  a  surface  of  almost  illimitable  extent  could  not 
fail  to  be  productive  of  the  most  gratifying  results. 

The  diminished  prices  of  the  publications  distributed,  and  in 
course  of  daily  distribution,  speak  volumes  in  favour  of  the 
attempt. 

In  exemplification  of  this,  it  may  be  useful  to  mention  that 
since  the  organization  of  our  Society,  the  successive  Boards  of 
Managers  have  issued  upwards  of  100,000  copies  of  the  Bible 
and  Prayer  Book.  By  the  purchase  of  their  various  sets  of 
stereotype  plates  they  have  been  enabled  to  multiply  the  issues 
of  both  publications,  and  with  the  facilities  furnished  by  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  press  to  increase  their  number  during  the 
past  year  to  the  extent  specified  in  the  Report  of  the  Agent  pre- 
viously referred  to. 

In  addition  to  the  cirailation  created,  it  is  also  worthy  of 
remark  that  by  the  exertions  of  the  Managers,  and  the  advant- 
ages accruing  from  the  possession  of  the  stereotype  plates,  the 
price  for  each  Prayer  Book  has  been  reduced  to  25  cents. 


1835]  Twentieth  Auxiliary  Report.  419 

A  few  years  since  the  retail  price  was  $i.oo  and  the  wholesale 
75  cents.  This  statement  shows  the  success  of  the  efforts  unre- 
mittingly made  to  distribute  both  the  Bible  and  Prayer  Book  on 
terms  as  low  as  is  compatible  with  a  due  regard  to  typographical 
execution  and  a  proper  quality  of  paper. 

These  latter  requisitions  have  at  all  times  been  particularly 
attended  to.  The  Board  invites  examination  of  the  several  edi- 
tions from  time  to  time  published  by  the  Society,  as  the  best  evi- 
dence generally  of  their  merits  in  these  respects ;  but  more  espec- 
ially of  the  last  editions  of  the  i8mo.  Bible  and  Prayer  Book,  as 
being  not  only  the  cheapest  but  the  best  of  the  kind  within  their 
knowledge  (taking  into  consideration  the  materials  and  typo- 
graphical appearance),  with  a  clear  and  distinct  text,  which 
enables  the  eye  to  dwell  upon  their  pages  without  the  fatigue 
consequent  upon  the  pemsal  of  similarly  sized  volumes.  The 
object  in  adverting  to  these  details  is  to  demonstrate  from  past 
experience  the  practicability  of  carrying  out  far  more  extensively 
the  plan  of  this  institution. 

To  accomplish  with  their  present  limited  means  the  greatest 
possible  good  the  Managers  have  left  no  expedient  untried.  They 
are  convinced  that  little  has  comparatively  been  done  to  enlarge 
the  borders  of  our  Church  from  inadequate  circulation  of  the 
Bible  and  Prayer  Book. 

When  these  details  are  properly  considered,  and  the  manner 
and  extent  of  the  donations  are  attentively  observed,  will  not 
Episcopalians  stretch  forth  freely  and  at  once  a  helping  hand  to 
forward  the  good  work? 

The  past  condition  and  gladdening  prospects  of  our  beloved 
Church  are  before  them.  The  field  for  Episcopal  culture  is  im- 
measurably broad  and  inviting.  The  promise  of  a  plentiful  har- 
vest is  of  an  exceeding  great  reward.  Let  all  of  us,  moreover, 
bear  in  mind  that  upon  the  efforts  made  to  sow  in  due  season  this 
"good  seed,"  depend  her  future  growth,  usefulness  and  influence. 
To  secure  and  permanently  establish  her  weal  every  motive 
of  love  to  our  neighbour  prompts  to  untiring  zeal,  and  well 
directed  and  concerted  operations.  Now,  emphatically  is  the 
time  to  meet  and  anticipate  with  appropriate  liberality,  the  relig- 
ious wants  of  our  widely-expanded  communion,  and  to  be  pre- 
pared to  resist  all  attempts  to  curtail  its  enlargement,  or  to  decry 
the  true  and  substantial  merits  by  which  the  ordinances  and  insti- 


420  New  Plates  for  the  Psalms.  [1835 

tutions  of  our  Church  recommend  themselves  to  public  regard 
and  consideration  generally,  but  especially  to  those  of  her  own 
household.  The  Managers  are  persuaded  that  if  the  sympathies 
and  attention  of  the  Episcopal  public  were  only  properly  awak- 
ened, and  attracted  to  the  interesting  and  important  operations 
of  this  Society, — to  the  great  good  it  has  produced  and  is  capable 
of  effecting, — the  result  could  not  but  prove  highly  influential  in 
promoting  the  best  interests  of  the  Church,  and  win  many  souls 
to  Christ. 

Let  but  this  spirit  of  brotherly  love  and  Christian  duty  be  gen- 
erally excited  in  her  behalf,  and  your  Society  must  go  on  more 
prosperously  and  efficiently,  its  operations  be  proportionately  and 
beneficially  extended,  and  the  Managers  be  inspirited  more  cor- 
dially to  co-operate  in  the  great  and  enduring  work  of  dissemi- 
nating the  Holy  Scriptures  with  our  unrivalled  Book  of  Com- 
mon Prayer. 

No  items  of  interest  can  be  gleaned  from  the  minutes  pre- 
vious to  October,  1835,  as  the  volume  containing  the  records 
from  January,  1820,  to  October,  1835,  was  destroyed,  as  Mr. 
W.  H.  Bell  notes  in  the  second  minute  book,  "in  the  great  fire  of 
December,  1835,  while  in  the  store  of  Henry  i.  Seaman,  the 
then  secretary."     (Folio  13.) 

The  Minutes  of  the  meetings  from  1835  to  1836  show  much 
activity  on  the  part  of  the  Auxiliary  Society.  Grants  of  books 
were  given  to  congregations  near  and  far.  The  Church  of  the 
Epiphany,  in  New  York,  to  Churches  in  New  Jersey,  New  York, 
Ohio,  Virginia — indeed  so  generous  had  been  its  gifts  that  it  was 
forced  to  pass  this  resolution  at  the  meeting  of  February  3,  1836: 

"Resolved,  That  inasmuch  as  this  Society  in  gratuitously  sup- 
plying the  wants  of  the  Church  has  incumbered  a  debt  of  $1,200. 
we  suspend  all  further  distributions  until  the  said  debt  is  re- 
duced to  $500."     (Folio  II.) 

Notwithstanding  the  low  ebb  of  the  finances  of  the  Society, 
we  find  that  they  purchased  a  new  set  of  i8mo  plates  of  the 
Psalms;  yet  at  the  very  meeting  where  this  expenditure  was 
sanctioned  (March  2,  1836)  the  following  resolution  was  unan- 
imously passed: 

"That  the  members  of  the  Board  now  present  unanimously 
agree  that  they  will  each  use  their  best  endeavour  to  obtain  for 


1836]  Appeal  for  Funds.  421 

this  Society  at  least  fifty  dollars  to  be  paid  to  the  Treasurer  on  or 
before  the  first  Wednesday  in  May." 

And  in  order  to  bring  the  condition  before  Churchmen,  the 
Editor  of  "The  Churchman"  was  requested  to  prepare  a  paper 
setting  forth  "the  pecuniary  embarrassments  of  the  Society  and 
its  inability  to  grant  further  issues  from  the  Depository  until  its 
debt  shall  have  been  reduced."     (P'olio  13.) 

At  the  meeting  of  March  2,  1836,  a  communication  was  re- 
ceived from  Herman  Thorne,  Esq.,  requesting  a  donation  of 
Prayer  Books  for  the  use  of  a  small  American  Episcopal  Chapel 
at  Paris.     On  motion  it  was 

"Resolved,  That  in  the  present  low  state  of  the  funds  of  this 
Society  it  is  not  expedient  to  make  the  donation,  and  that  the 
Corresponding  Secretary  be  requested  to  advise  Mr.  Thorne  to 
that  effect,  and  to  inform  him  that  the  Books  can  be  obtained 
at  the  Press  at  the  lowest  market  prices."     (Folio  13.) 

With  a  heavy  debt,  uncertainty  as  to  the  future  and  the 
scanty  contributions  received,  it  need  excite  no  surprise  that  the 
Managers  could  not  respond  to  the  request  of  those  who  had 
lately  formed  a  parish  among  the  American  Colony  at  Paris. 

Since  then  the  Church  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  Paris,  has  been  a 
generous  contributor  to  all  Church  objects. 

What  the  results  of  the  appeals  of  "The  Churchman"  was,  we 
do  not  know — but  the  Treasurer  at  the  meeting  on  May  6,  1836, 
reported  his  receipts  as  $517.  Out  of  this  $480  was  paid  in  to 
the  Press,  leaving  still  a  debt  of  $322.  This  report,  and  that 
presented  on  June  ist  of  the  same  year,  proved  that  the  per- 
sonal pledges  of  $50  each  was  lived  up  to  in  almost  every  case. 
At  the  June  meeting  the  debt  to  the  Press  was  still  further  re- 
duced ;  and  several  grants  of  books  were  made.  On  August  3d 
the  following  resolution  was  passed  in  the  hopes  of  stirring  up 
interest  in  the  work  of  the  Society : 

"In  ratio  with  the  great  increase  of  our  Church  is  the  appli- 
cation of  her  Missionaries  to  this  Society  for  Prayer  Books,  and 
as  no  application  is  allowed  to  be  made  in  vain,  it  is  painful  to 
the  Board  of  Managers  that  in  many  instances  the  small  number 
they  are  able  to  give  falls  far  short  of  what  is  absolutely  neces- 
sary. The  consequence  is,  the  great  good  aimed  at  is  entirely 
destroyed ;  and  as  there  are  very  many  wealthy  and  flourishing 
congregations  in  this  Diocese,  that  have  never  responded  to  the 


422  Appeal  for  Funds.  [1886 

assistance  received  from  time  to  time  in  their  infancy  from  this 
institution,  it  is  therefore 

"Resolved,  That  the  committee  of  arrangements  be  and  are 
hereby  requested  to  address  a  circular  to  such  parishes  as  have 
from  time  to  time  received  supplies  of  Prayer  Books,  etc.,  from 
this  institution  in  their  infancy,  soliciting  a  collection  between 
this  and  the  first  of  October  next,  to  aid  in  rendering  the  same 
service  to  other  infant  organizations  wishing  to  spring  up,  as 
they  themselves  have  done,  from  such  assistance."     (Folio  21.) 

The  following  circular  was  issued  by  the  Auxiliary  Society, 
September,  1836: 

We  cheerfully  comply  with  the  request  of  the  Board  of  Man- 
agers of  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer 
Book  Society  in  transmitting  a  copy  of  the  Preamble  and  Resolu- 
tiontion  adopted  by  the  Board  of  Managers  at  their  last  meeting. 
The  passing  of  such  a  resolution  originated  from  the  numerous 
and  urgent  applications  made  by  the  clergymen  of  our  Church  for 
Prayer  Books  to  aid  them  in  new  and  destitute  parishes  and 
missionary  stations,  and  the  total  inability  of  the  Society  to 
answer  them,  but  in  such  small  number,  that  it  is  feared  that 
the  object  hoped  to  be  obtained  by  the  application  is  hurt.  We 
therefore  do  hope  and  trust  that  you  will  aid  us  by  your  contri- 
butions in  supplying  these  all-important  applications  from  the 
destitute  portions  of  our  Church,  that  their  wants  be  supplied 
with  that  Prayer  Book  we  so  much  value  for  its  truly  sublime 
and  spiritual  compositions,  the  greatest  Auxiliary  the  Mission- 
ary can  be  anned  with  in  the  great  work  of  the  extension  of  the 
Church,  Yet  as  much  as  we  value  it,  as  important  as  it  is,  the 
urgent  solicitations  for  it,  and  the  exposure  of  the  wants  of  it 
in  the  reports  of  our  Missionaries,  both  in  the  Journal  of  our 
State  Convention,  and  that  valuable  and  interesting  publication, 
the  Spirit  of  Missions,  with  all  these  annually  before  us,  what 
has  the  Church  done  through  her  diocesan  society  towards  fur- 
nishing it.  Excepting  the  Cities  of  New  York  and  Brooklyn, 
with  reluctance  we  answer,  that  during  the  twenty  years  of  her 
existence  she  has  received  from  other  parts  of  the  Church  only 
Seventy-five  Dollars  and  thirty-five  cents,  and  that  during  the 
same  time  the  distribution  of  the  Prayer  Book,  etc.,  amounted 
to  nearly  twenty  thousand  dollars.  The  present  year  since  the 
Anniversary  in  October  last,  is  more  encouraging.     The  sum 


1836]  Annual  Meeting.  423 

received  amounts  to  One  Hundred  and  Forty-one  Dollars  and 
Forty-three  Cents,  being  double  that  of  the  twenty  preceding 
jrears;  yet  that  is  but  a  drop  in  the  bucket  when  compared  with 
•our  distribution  during  the  same  period,  which  has  been  to 
destitute  Parishes  and  Missionary  Stations  seven  hundred  and 
.ten  Bibles,  nine  hnudred  and  thirty-three  Testaments,  two  hun- 
dred Psalms  and  Hymns,  and  five  thousand  three  hundred 
4ind  thirty  Prayer  Books,  value  eighteen  hundred  and  forty  dol- 
lars. This  would  have  been  much  greater  but  the  debt  was 
«iccumulating  to  such  an  alarming  amount  we  were  under  the 
jiecessity  of  restricting  our  distribution ;  and  had  it  not  been  for 
the  exertions  and  liberality  of  a  few  individuals,  we  must  have 
stopped  proceedings  altogether.  We  now  respectfully  solicit 
your  attention  to  the  annexed  resolution,  the  response  to  which 
must  determine  the  future  operations  of  the  Society. 

(Signed)  W.   H.   Townsend, 
S.  I.  Beebee, 
Thos.  Browning, 

Committee. 

On  motion  Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  three  be  appointed 
to  prepare  the  Annual  Report  to  be  laid  before  the  Society  on 
the  6th  of  October  next.  The  chair  appointed  Dr.  James  D. 
Fitch,  Messrs.  Jonas  Butler  and  G.  G.  Van  Wagenen,  Esq. 

The  Twenty-first  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Auxilitry  was  held 
on  October  6,  1836,  when  the  report  was  read  by  Dr.  Fitch;  on 
the  26th  of  October,  the  following  were  elected: 

William  E.  Dunscomb,  President. 

Charles  Keeler,  ist  Vice  President. 

John  Alstyne,  2nd  Vice  President. 

Henry  1.  Seaman.  3rd  Vice  President. 

Charles  I.  Aldis,  Cor.  Secretary. 

W^m.  H.  Hobart,  M.D.,  Recording  Secretary. 

Thomas  Browning,  Treasurer. 

Floyd  Smith,  Agent. 

Managers : — Lewis  Curtis,  Meigs  D.  Benjamin,  Fred  DePey- 
ster,  G.  G.  Van  Wagenen,  Wm.  M.  Benjamin,  Lewis  Phillips, 
\Vm.  H.  Townsend,  H.  D.  Aldrich,  Wm.  Betts,  Samuel  J. 
Beebee,  Jas.  D.  Fitch,  M.D.,  John  Brower,  J.  Oswald  Cam- 
irjann,  C.  N.  S.  Rowland,  Dayton  Hobart,  Henry  E.  Davies, 
JRobert  Gracie,  Theron  Wilbur. 


424  Union  With  Tract  Society.  [1836 

The  Tract  Society  had  for  some  time  been  desirous  of  joining 
forces  with  the  AuxiHary  Society,  and  under  more  favourable 
financial  circumstances  such  an  union  would  have  been  wise- 
Committees  on  both  sides  were  appointed  and  the  records  for 
the  Auxiliary  Society  of  December  7,  1836,  read. 

The  Committee  appointed  to  confer  with  a  committee  of  the 
N.  Y.  Episcopal  Tract  Society  in  relation  to  their  proposal  that 
we  should  jointly  establish  a  Depository  and  appoint  an  agent  or 
clerk  for  the  business  of  both  Societies,  Respectfully  Report, 

That  we  have  held  a  conference  with  the  above  mentioned 
Committee  of  the  Tract  Society,  from  whom  we  learn  that  in 
consequence  of  great  inconvenience  to  which  they  are  subjected 
by  the  want  of  proper  accommodations  in  the  rooms  occupied 
by  the  Episcopal  Press,  and  more  especially  from  the  want  of 
some  person  to  attend  to  those  who  call  on  the  business  of  the 
Tract  Society,  they  deem  it  not  merely  expedient  but  indispens- 
ably necessary,  to  have  a  separate  establishment  to  be  placed 
under  the  charge  of  an  agent,  or  of  a  clerk  acting  by  direction 
of  a  committee  of  the  Society,  by  such  an  arrangement  it  is 
thought  that  besides  a  proper  attention  being  thus  given  to  its 
general  concerns,  an  active  Superintendent  (whether  agent  or 
clerk)  might  successfully  devote  a  portion  of  his  time  to  ob- 
taining funds  for  the  Society,  but  inasmuch  as  such  a  plan  will 
be  attended  with  considerable  expense  they  are  very  desirous 
that  we  should  unite  in  the  measure. 

Your  Committee  are  of  opinion  that  the  business  of  our 
Society,  being  much  more  simple  in  its  nature  and  in  all  its  de- 
tails than  that  of  the  Tract  Society,  and  that  evils  to  which  both 
are  equally  subject  are  therefore  less  prejudicial  to  our  interests 
the  necessity  for  any  immediate  action  is  not  so  imperative 
upon  us.  At  the  same  time  Your  Committee  very  fully  approve 
of  the  plan  and  would  recommend  a  concurrence  therein  could 
we  contemplate  the  permanent  existence  of  the  Society  accord- 
ing to  its  present  constitution.  But  as  the  Charter  under  which 
we  have  been  acting  for  several  years  will  shortly  expire  and 
its  renewal  in  its  present  shape  is  exceedingly  doubtful  and 
perhaps  not  altogether  desirable,  as  our  Society  is  now  in  debt 
and  as  the  growing  demands  on  its  funds  will  probably  more 
than  absorb  all  the  collections  we  can  reasonably  anticipate, 
Your  Committee  are  unanimously  of  the  opinion  that  it  would 


1836]  Expiration  of  Charter.  425 

not  be  proper  at  this  time  to  come  under  such  engagements  as 
would  result  from  our  participation  in  the  measure  proposed  by 
the  Tract  Society.  Should  that  Society  however  proceed  to  act 
upon  it  separately,  it  may  be  desirable  that  we  should  engage 
the  assistance  of  their  agent  or  clerk,  if  to  be  obtained  at  a  small 
remuneration. 

Your  Committee  respectfully  suggest  the  adoption  of  the  fol- 
lowing Resolution,  and  that  if  passed  the  same  be  communicated 
to  the  N.  Y.  Episcopal  Tract  Society. 

Resolved,  That  under  existing  circumstances  of  this  Institu- 
tion this  Board  deems  it  their  duty  respectfully  to  decline  the 
proposition  of  the  Tract  Society  to  participate  with  that  Insti- 
tution in  the  expense  of  establishing  and  maintaining  a  separate 
Depository. 

All  of  which  is  respectfully  submitted. 

Charles  I.  Aldis,  Chairman. 
Saml  J.  Beebee, 
Wm.  M.  Benjamin. 

New  York,  i6  Nov.,  1836. 

And  which  Report  was  accepted.     (Folio  35.) 

The  question  as  to  the  advisability  of  renewing  the  charter 
was  discussed,  and  on  April  6,  1836,  the  following  resolution 
was  adopted : 

Whereas,  the  Charter  of  this  Society  will  expire  on  the  28th 
of  March  next —  Resolved,  That  the  subject  of  procuring  a  new 
Charter  be  referred  to  a  committee  of  three,  to  report  on  the 
expediency  of  applying  therefor,  and  the  necessary  measures  for 
that  purpose,  and  also  on  the  measures  proper  to  be  adopted  for 
the  payment  of  the  debts  of  the  Society  and  the  disposition  of  its 
property  in  case  the  Charter  shall  not  be  renewed,  and  the  cor- 
poration become  dissolved.  And  that  the  committee  also  report 
any  modifications  or  alterations  in  the  Charter  and  Constitution 
of  the  Society  that  may  be  deemed  by  them  expedient,  and  such 
suggestions  for  the  improvement  of  its  conditions  as  may  be 
thought  advisable. 

The  Chair  appointed  Messrs.  De  Peyster,  Van  Wagenen  and 
Curtis  a  committee  for  that  purpose. 

The  committee  reported  progress  on  June  ist.  but  nothing 
further  appears  to  have  been  done  in  this  matter  till  the  meeting 


426  Reorganization  of  Societies.  [1836 

of  February  i,  1837,  when  the  Committee  on  the  Renewal  of  the 
Charter  of  the  Society  made  a  report,  and  the  same  was  laid  on 
the  table  for  further  consideration. 

The  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  Onderdonk  being  in  the  Depository,  an 
invitation  was  sent  him  to  favour  the  Board  with  his  presence; 
and  on  ascertaining  the  Bishop's  views  on  the  subject  of  reor- 
ganization, etc.,  etc., 

It  was  moved  and  seconded  that  the  Report  above  ordered  on 
the  table  be  accepted  and  the  same  committee  be  requested  to 
confer  with  the  committee  of  the  New  York  Bible  and  Common 
Prayer  Book  Society  on  the  matters  suggested  in  the  said  report, 
and  to  report  with  all  convenient  speed.     (  Folio  39. ) 

On  March  i,  1837,  it  was  Resolved,  That  inasmuch  as  the  act 
of  Incorporation  would  expire  on  the  28th  of  March,  that  all  the 
property  of  the  Society  be  assigned  to  Thomas  Browning  and 
Charles  I.  Aldis,  to  enable  them  to  turn  over  all  the  effects  of  the 
Society  to  "such  Society,  Association,  or  Committee,  as  shall,  or 
may  be  organized  under  the  sanction  of  the  Bishop  of  this  Dio- 
cese."    (Folio  40.) 

At  a  special  meeting  of  the  Board  held  on  March  8,  1837, 
necessary  resolutions  were  passed  to  dissolve  the  Society  and 
assign  all  the  property  to  a  committee  of  four,  with  power  to 
transfer  the  same  to  such  Society  as  they  shall  select  as  shall  be 
organized  in  the  Diocese  of  New  York  for  the  gratuitous  distri- 
bution of  the  Holy  Scriptures  and  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer. 
On  March  22,  1837,  the  last  meeting  of  the  Auxiliary  New  York 
Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  was  held  and  the 
assignment  was  made. 

Upon  the  record  book  of  the  parent  Society  there  are  no  en- 
tries between  May  11,  1832,  and  December  27,  1836. 

The  following  resolutions  passed  at  the  last  meeting  of  the 
Society  seem  to  imply  the  formation  of  a  new  Society,  but  the 
subsequent  proceedings  make  it  evident  that  those  in  authority 
considered  what  was  done  was  only  a  reorganization  of  the  old 
Society. 

New  York,  December  22nd,  1836. 
The  Board  of  Managers  met  at  the  Press  Buildings,  No.  28 
Ann  Street,  at  one  o'clock  p.  m. 

Present:— Rt.  Rev.  Benj.  T.  Onderdonk,  D.D.,  Rev.  Dr.  Tay- 


1837]  Conference  of  the  Two  Societies.  427 

lor,  Rev.  Dr.  Anthon,  Rev.  Dr.  Schroeder,  Rev.  Mr.  Dorr,  Rev. 
Mr.  Smith,  Rev.  Mr.  Colton,  Rev.  Mr.  Morris,  and  the  Secretary, 
Mr.  Careau,  Mr.  Clarkson,  Mr.  Kipp. 

In  consequence  of  the  absence  of  the  Treasurer  in  Europe  it 
became  necessary  to  fill  the  vacancy,  and  Captain  Richard  Whiley 
being  nominated  was  duly  elected  Treasurer  of  the  Society. 

On  motion  of  the  Bishop  the  following  resolutions  were  unani- 
mously adopted : 

Resolved,  That  the  Treasurer,  together  with  Messrs.  Isaac 
Careau  and  David  Clarkson,  be  a  committee  to  manage  the  per- 
manent fund  and  that  the  Treasurer  pay  the  proceeds  thereof  to 
the  order  of  the  President  for  the  gratuitous  distribution  by  the 
latter  of  Bibles  and  Prayer  Books  within  this  State. 

Resolved,  That  the  same  gentlemen,  together  with  the  Presi- 
dent, Secretary,  and  the  Rev.  Drs.  Lyell  and  Berrian,  be  a  com- 
mittee with  full  power  to  transact  the  business  of  this  Board; 
and  to  pay  over  the  funds  of  this  Society  to  any  similar  estab- 
lishment having  for  its  object  the  distribution,  within  this  State, 
of  the  Bible  and  Book  of  Common  Prayer. 

On  motion.  Resolved,  That  a  copy  of  the  aforesaid  resolutions 
be  sent  to  the  Treasurer,  Capt.  Richard  Whiley,  Mr.  Isaac 
Careau,  David  Clarkson,  and  to  the  Rev.  Drs.  Lyell  and  Berrian. 

A  statement  of  the  funds  remaining  in  the  Treasury  having 
been  read  by  the  President,  on  motion.  Adjourned. 

Thos.  Breintnall,  Secretary. 

The  formal  assignment  and  transfer  from  the  Auxiliary  to  the 
New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  was  signed 
July  I,  1837. 

"The  Churchman"  gives  this  account  of  the  result  of  the  Con- 
ferences : 

At  a  meeting  of  Episcopalians  at  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Press  on  Wednesday,  March  22,  called  by  public  notice,  for  the 
purpose  of  considering  the  propriety  of  establishing  a  New  York 
Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  as  a  substitute  for  the 
Society  of  the  same  name,  heretofore  existing,  but  having  for 
many  years  suspended,  in  a  great  measure,  its  operations,  and  for 
the  New  York  Auxiliary  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society 
of  which  the  Charter  is  about  expiring,  it  was 


428  New  Constitution.  [1837 

Resolved,  That  it  is  expedient  to  establish  such  a  Society, 
under  a  Board  of  Managers  to  be  composed  of  the  Bishop  of 
the  Diocese,  and  of  Clerical  and  lay  members. 

A  committee  was  appointed  to  prepare  a  form  of  constitution 
for  such  a  society  to  be  reported  at  an  adjourned  meeting  to  be 
held  in  the  Sunday  School  Building,  St.  John's  Chapel,  on  Fri- 
day, April  7th,  at  half-past  seven  o'clock  P.  M.,  agreeably  to 
another  resolution  of  the  same  meeting,  I  hereby  invited  the 
members  of  the  New  York,  and  of  the  Auxiliary  New  York 
Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Societies  to  attend  the  said 
adjourned  meeting. 

Ben  J.  T.  Onderdonk, 
Bishop  of  the  Diocese  of  New  York. 

New  York,  March  28,  1837.^ 

The  proceedings  of  the  adjourned  meeting  are  thus  noted  in 
the  Minutes: 

At  an  adjourned  Meeting  of  Episcopalians  of  the  Cities  of 
New  York  and  Brooklyn  held  pursuant  to  Public  Notice  on 
Wednesday  evening,  the  19th  inst.,  in  the  Sunday  School  Room 
of  St.  John's  Chapel,  the  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  of  the  Diocese  in  the 
Chair. 

The  minutes  of  the  last  meeting  were  read  and  approved. 

A  Constitution  for  the  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer 
Book  Society  was  presented  for  the  consideration  of  the  meet- 
ing, and  the  several  articles  therein  contained  were  read  separ- 
ately, some  amendments  were  proposed  and  adopted,  after  which 
the  whole  was  unanimously  adopted  as  the  Constitution  of  the 
New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  as  follows : 

CON.STITUTION    OF    THE    NeW    YorK    BiBLE    AND    COMMON 

Prayer  Book  Society. 

Article  I. 

This  Society  shall  be  denominated  the  "New  York  Bible  and 
Common  Prayer  Book  Society,"  and  its  object  shall  be  the  dis- 
tribution of  the  Bible  and  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer. 


I.     The  Churchman,  Saturday,  April  i,  1837.    Volume  VII.  No.  3.    Whole 
number  315. 


1837]  New  Constitution.  429 

Article  II. 

It  shall  be  composed  of  the  Bishop  of  the  Diocese  of  New 
York  as  President  ex  officio,  of  all  clergymen  canonically  con- 
nected with  said  Diocese,  and  of  such  other  persons  as  shall 
within  twelve  [months]  next  preceding  any  Meeting  which  they 
may  attend  have  Subscribed  and  paid  to  its  funds,  together  with 
the  life  members  and  patrons  of  the  New  York  Bible  and  Com- 
mon Prayer  Book  Society,  established  in  1809,  and  the  Auxil- 
iary New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  in- 
corporated in  1817;  it  being  understood  that  such  life  members 
and  patrons  shall  be  entitled  to  all  the  privileges  in  respect  to 
receiving  Bibles  and  Common  Prayer  Books  which  were  secured 
to  them  by  the  said  Societies  respectively — Members  of  Bible 
and  Common  Prayer  Book  Societies  Auxiliary  to  this,  shall 
also  be  members  of  this  Society,  as  also  the  officers  and  man- 
agers, directors  or  trustees  of  any  society  or  association  within 
this  Diocese  having  among  its  objects  the  distribution  of  the 
Bible  and  Book  of  Common  Prayer.  Provided  that  such  Aux- 
iliary Societies  and  Associations  shall  have  contributed  to  the 
funds  of  this  Society  within  twelve  months  next  preceding  any 
meeting  thereof. 

Article  III. 

When  the  Society  is  not  in  session  the  business  shall  be  in- 
trusted to  a  Board  of  Managers,  consisting  of  the  Bishop  of  the 
Diocese  as  President  ex  officio,  and  of  four  clerical  and  four 
lay  Vice  Presidents,  a  Corresponding  Secretary,  a  Recording 
Secretary,  a  Treasurer,  an  Agent,  and  twenty- four  clerical  and 
lay  Managers,  making  in  all  thirty-seven.  The  above  named 
officers  of  the  same  relation  to  the  Board  of  Managers.  In 
order  to  a  quorum  for  the  transaction  of  the  business  of  the 
Board,  there  must  be  present  at  least  one  clergyman  and  one 
layman. 

Article  IV. 

The  above  named  officers  and  managers,  except  the  President, 
shall  be  elected  forthwith,  and  there  shall  be  an  Annual  Meeting 
of  the  Society  in  the  City  of  New  York  on  the  Thursday  of  the 
week  next  succeeding  the  Annual  Convention  of  the  Diocese, 
when  the  same  stations  shall  be  filled  by  a  plurality  of  votes 


430  New  Constitution.  [1837 


taken  by  ballot;  Provided  that  until  there  be  an  election  of  the 
full  complement  of  officers  and  managers  those  last  elected  shall 
be  continued  in  office,  and  provided  further,  that  all  vacancies 
occurring  in  the  Board  may  be  supplied  by  the  Board.  In  all 
cases  of  election  by  the  Society  or  Board,  the  persons  elected 
shall  be  forthwith  notified  thereof  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Meet- 
ing at  which  he  was  elected,  and  unless  his  acceptance  is  signi- 
fied to  the  said  Secretary  or  the  Board  within  one  month  after 
his  election,  his  station  shall  be  considered  vacant  and  a  new 
election  be  held  by  the  Board  to  supply  the  same.  The  Anni- 
versary Celebration  of  the  Society  shall  be  on  the  evening  of 
the  first  day  of  the  meeting  of  the  Annual  Convention  of  the 
Diocese,  and  at  the  place  of  the  meeting  of  such  Convention,  or 
at  such  other  time  and  place  as  the  Board  of  Managers  may 
appoint,  when  the  said  Board  shall  make  report  of  their  pro- 
ceedings for  the  past  year,  on  which  the  members  of  the  So- 
ciety then  present  shall  be  competent  to  take  any  action- 
Special  Meetings  of  the  Society  may  at  any  time  be  called  by 
the  Board  of  Managers. 

Article  V. 

The  Board  of  Managers  shall  have  the  power  of  passing  any 
by-laws  and  resolutions  for  its  own  government,  and  for  the  due 
ordering  of  the  business  of  the  Society;  Provided  the  same  be 
not  inconsistent  with  this  constitution  or  with  any  of  the  acts 
of  the  Society. 

Article  VI. 

This  constitution  may  be  altered  at  any  meeting  of  the  So- 
ciety at  which  there  are  present  three  clerical  and  three  lay 
members.  Provided  that  a  proposed  alteration  have  the  appro- 
bation of  a  majority  of  the  clerical  and  of  a  majority  of  the 
lay  members  present,  and  also  of  the  Bishop  of  the  Diocese, 
and  provided  further.  That  if  the  Episcopate  of  the  Diocese  be 
vacant  two-thirds  of  the  clerical  members  present  approve  of 
the  proposed  alteration. 

The  following  officers  were  then  elected : 

Vice  Presidents. 
The  Rev.  Thomas  Lyell.  D.D.,  First. 
The  Rev.  William  Berrian,  D.D.,  Second. 


1837]  Officers  Elected.  431 

The  Rev.  Samuel  H.  Turner,  D.D.,  Third. 

The  Rev.  John  McVickar,  D.D.,  Fourth. 

WilUam  E.  Dunscomb,  Fifth. 

Charles  Keeler,  Sixth. 

John  Alstyne,  Seventh. 

Henry  I.  Seaman,  Eighth. 

Charles  I.  Aldis,  Corresponding  Secretary. 

Henry  E.  Davies,  Recording  Secretary. 

Thomas  Browning,  Treasurer. 

Floyd  Smith,  Agent. 

Managers: — The  Rev.  James  Milnor,  D.D.,  the  Rev.  Lewis 
P.  Bayard,  the  Rev.  Evan  M.  Johnson,  the  Rev.  Henry  Anthon, 
the  Rev.  Thomas  Breintnall,  the  Rev.  Hugh  Smith,  Lewis  Cur- 
tis, Meigs  D.  Benjamin,  Frederic  Depeyster,  Gerritt  G.  Van 
Wagenan,  William  M.  Benjamin,  Lewis  Phillips,  William  H. 
Townsend,  Herman  D.  Aldrich,  William  Betts,  Samuel  J. 
Beebe,  Jas.  D.  Fitch,  M.D.,  John  Brouwer,  J.  Oswald  Cammann, 
Dayton  Hobart,  Robert  Gracie,  Theron  W^ilbur,  Chas.  N.  S. 
Rowland,  Wm.  H.  Hobart,  M.D. 

The  meeting  then  Resolved,  That  the  first  meeting  of  the 
Board  be  held  on  Wednesday  evening  next,  the  26th  inst.,  in 
the  Sunday  School  Room  of  St.  John's  Chapel,  at  half -past 
seven  o'clock  P.  M.,  and  that  the  Secretary  of  this  meeting  be 
requested  to  notify  each  member  of  the  Board  of  his  election, 
and  also  to  furnish  each  of  them  with  a  printed  copy  of  the 
Constitution. 

Adjourned  sine  die. 

Corn.  Oakley, 

Secretary  of  the  Meeting. 

New  York,  April  19,  1837.  (Folio  48.) 

On  June  13,  1837,  at  a  meeting  held  in  St.  John's  Chapel,  Mr. 
Haight  from  the  committee  appointed  to  confer  with  the  Tract 
Society,  made  a  report  which  was  read  and  accepted.  The  said 
report  concluded  with  the  following  Resolutions,  to  wit : 

"i.  Resolved,  That  this  Board  will  unite  with  the  Board  of 
the  Tract  Society  in  renting  a  Depository  and  hiring  an  Agent, 
the  expense  to  be  borne  equally  by  both  Societies. 

"2.  Resolved,  That  the  salarv  of  the  Agent  be  one  thousand 


432  Form  of  Prayer.  [1837 

dollars,  which  said  resolutions  being  read  and  considered,  were 
adopted. 

"It  was  then  resolved  that  the  Board  do  now  elect  by  ballot  an 
Agent  to  act  w-ith  the  Tract  Society  in  accordance  with  the 
above  resolutions,  and  in  the  place  of  Floyd  Smith,  Esq.,  re- 
signed, and  on  counting  the  ballot  it  appeared  that  Thomas  C. 
Butler  was  unanimously  elected  as  Agent." 

To  keep  pace  with  the  increasing  demand  for  grants,  an 
edition  of  five  thousand  Prayer  Books  was  ordered  to  be 
printed,  at  the  meeting  of  July  25,  1837. 

Soon  after  the  reorganization  the  following  form  of  Prayer 
for  the  meeting  of  the  Society  was  set  forth  by  the  Bishop. 

A  Form  of  Prayer  set  forth  by  the  Right  Reverend  Benjamin 
T.  Onderdonk,  Bishop  of  the  Diocese  of  New  York ;  to  be  used 
at  the  meetings  of  the  Managers  of  the  Bible  and  Common 
Prayer  Book  Society,  together  with, 

1.  The  Lord's  Prayer. 

2.  The  Collect  for  the  day,  and 

Any  other  selected  from  the  Liturgy  at  the  discretion  of 
the  officiating  Priest. 

Almighty  and  Most  Merciful  God,  we  render  Thee  our 
thanks  and  praise  for  the  light  of  Thy  everlasting  Gospel,  for 
the  establishment  of  Thy  Holy  Church;  and  for  the  appointed 
means  of  extending  their  benefits  unto  all  people. 

We  ask  Thy  blessing  on  all  suitable  endeavours  for  the  ac- 
complishment of  this  Thy  Merciful  design;  on  all  seminaries  of 
sound  learning,  and  Christian  education;  and  on  all  proper 
means  for  advancing  the  interests  of  Thy  Church,  and  aiding 
her,  in  the  accomplishment  of  her  great  work  of  promoting 
man's  spiritual  and  eternal  welfare. 

We  especially  commend  to  the  protection  and  blessing  of  Thy 
Providence,  and  the  aid  and  direction  of  Thy  Grace,  the  Insti- 
tution on  the  business  of  which  we  are  here  assembled  in 
Thy  Name  and  presence.  Endue  all  those  to  whom  the  manage- 
ment of  its  affairs  is  intrusted  with  a  right  judgment  to  devise, 
and  its  members  and  friends  with  willing  hearts  to  afford  the 
means  of  executing  the  best  plans  for  carrying  its  good  objects 
into  effect.  May  it  be  blessed  to  the  extending  of  the  light  of  the 
glorious  Gospel,  the  promoting  the  interests  of  Thy  Holy  Church, 


1837]  Anniversary  Celebration.  433 

the  dissemination  of  pure  religion  and  sound  morality,  and  the 
advancement  of  the  spiritual  and  eternal  welfare  of  Thy  people. 
And  may  its  usefulness  be  continued  until  all  Thy  sheep  shall  be 
gathered  into  one  fold,  and  be  made  partakers  of  Thy  Heavenly 
Kingdom.  Grant  this,  O  Father,  for  Jesus  Christ's  sake,  our 
only  Mediator  and  Redeemer.     Amen. 

It  seems  proper  in  presenting  the  proceedings  of  the  Society 
at  its  First  Anniversary  and  its  Report  to  give  the  title  page  of 
the  printed  report,  for  it  is  the  model  which  was  followed  until 
very  recently.  While  reports  may  have  been  presented  by  the 
Managers,  there  certainly  were  none  printed  from  1829  to  1837. 

"1837.  The  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  So- 
ciety was  established  in  the  year  1809,  being  the  first  institution 
in  this  country  (except  the  Bible  Society  of  Philadelphia)  for 
the  gratuitous  distribution  of  the  Scriptures. 

"The  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book 
Society  was  established  in  the  year  181 6,  and  obtained  from  the 
Legislature  an  Act  of  Incorporation  for  Twenty  Years,  at  the 
expiration  of  which  time  the  Parent  and  Auxiliary  Societies 
united  under  the  original  title  of  "The  New  York  Bible  and 
Common  Prayer  Book  Society." 

"The  present  is  tlierefore  properly  the  Twenty-Ninth  Consec- 
utive Report,  read  before  the  Society  in  St.  Thomas'  Church, 
Thursday,  October  5,  1837.  New  York.  Published  by  the 
New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society.  Deposi- 
tory, 28  Ann  Street.     D.  Murphey,  Printer.     1837." 

Anniversary  Celebration  of  the  New  York  Bible  and 
Common  Prayer  Book  Society. 

The  First  Anniversary  celebration  of  the  New  York  Bible  and 
Common  Prayer  Book  Society  under  its  new  organization  was 
held  at  St.  Thomas'  Church,  on  Thursday  evening,  October  5, 
1837,  in  conjunction  with  that  of  the  "New  York  Protestant 
Episcopal  Tract  Society"  and  the  "Education  and  Missionary 
Society." 

The  Chair  was  taken  by  the  Right  Rev.  B.  T.  Onderdonk, 
Bishop  of  the  Diocese,  President  ex-officio,  at  7  o'clock  P.  M. 

The  Annual  Report  of  the  Board  of  Managers  was  read  by 
(28) 


434  Twenty-Ninth  Report.  [1837 

Henry  E.  Davies,  Esq.,  whereupon,  on  motion  of  the  Rev.  John 
W.  Brown,  who  prefaced  his  resolutions  by  an  eloquent  and  in- 
teresting address  in  behalf  of  the  Society,  it  was 

Resolved,  That  the  Report  just  read  furnishes  an  additional 
proof,  if  any  were  needed,  of  the  value  and  importance  of  the 
Society  not  only  to  this  Diocese  but  to  the  Church  at  large,  and 
that  it  behooves  every  friend  of  the  Church  to  aid  in  the  dis- 
tribution of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer. 

Resolved,  That  we  highly  approve  the  doings  of  the  Board 
of  Managers  for  the  past,  and  exhort  them  to  continue  exer- 
tions in  well-doing;  and  always  remembering  that  as  we  have 
freely  received,  so  will  we  with  God's  blessing  upon  our  efforts>. 
freely  give. 

Resolved,  That  such  number  of  copies  as  the  Board  shall 
think  proper  of  the  Report  just  read,  be  printed  and  published 
under  the  direction  of  the  Board. 

The  exercises  of  the  evening  were  preceded  and  concluded  by 
appropriate  religious  Services  by,  the  Right  Rev.  Chairman. 

The  Society  was  then  organized,  when,  on  motion, 

Resolved,  That  the  reading  of  the  minutes  be  dispensed  with^ 

Resolved,  That  the  Society  do  now  adjourn  to  meet  agaire 
for  the  transaction  of  its  ordinary  business  at  the  School  Room 
of  St.  John's  Chapel,  on  Thursday  evening  next,  the  12th  inst., 
at  7  o'clock. 

Henry  E.  Davies, 

Recording  Secretary. 

(Folio  60.) 

First  Annual  Report — Being  the  Twenty-Ninth 
Consecutive  Report. 

The  Board  of  Managers  of  the  New  York  Bible  and  Common 
Prayer  Book  Society,  in  presenting  their  first  Annual  Report 
deem  it  an  appropriate  occasion  to  refer  to  the  circumstances 
attending  the  present  organization  of  the  Society  and  urge  the 
high  and  holy  claims  it  has  upon  the  services  and  benefactions  of 
its  members  and  the  friends  of  the  Church  in  general. 

It  is  doubtless  well  known  that  for  many  years  there  have  ex- 
isted two  Societies  of  kindred  object,  the  one  auxiliary  to  the 
other,  and  both  engaged  in  the  same  work — the  dissemination  of 


1837]  Twenty-Ninth  Report.  486 

the  Bible  and  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer.    One  of  these  Socie- 
ties,  styled   the   New  York  Bible  and   Common   Prayer   Book 
Society,  was  composed  of  a  mixed  representation  of  clerical  and 
lay  delegates;  the  other,  the  Auxiliary  New  York   Bible  and 
Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  derived  its  corporate  existence 
from  the  Legislature  of  the  State.     It  was  a  fundamental  prin- 
ciple in  the  organization  of  the  latter  Society  that  its  members 
and  officers  should  be  exclusively  laymen.     The  charter  of  this 
Society  was  granted  in  1817,  and  expired  by  its  own  limitation 
in  the  month  of  March  last.    The  activity  and  zeal  of  the  officers 
of  this  Society  in  promoting  the  object  of  its  formation  are 
worthy  of  all  praise.     The  liberality  of  its  members,  and  the 
ardent  devotion  of  all  concerned  in  its  operations  will  long  be 
remembered  as  examples  worthy  of  imitation,  and  we  trust  that 
from  the  great  Head  of  the  Church  they  will  receive  their  appro- 
priate reward.    It  was  with  regret  that  we  witnessed  the  termina- 
tion of  an  institution  which  had  accomplished  so  much  good  and 
had  been  so  signally  blessed  in  its  progress.    After  mature  delib- 
eration, it  was  deemed  inadequate  to  apply  to  the  Legislature  for 
a  continuance  of  the  corporate  rights  of  the  Society,  but  thought 
most  expedient  to  organize  a  new  Association  from  the  two  Socie- 
ties then  in  existence,  which  should  combine  the  wisdom  of  the 
one  and  the  zeal  and  activity  of  the  other.     In  the  formation  of 
the  new  Society,  the  principle  of  an  union  of  clerical  and  lay  rep- 
resentation  (which  characterizes  the  other  associations  of  our 
Church)  was  distinctly  recognized  and  deemed  essential  to  per- 
petuate its  stability,  to  infuse  energy  into  its  operations,  and 
inspire  the  confidence  of  the  Church.     Influenced  by  these  con- 
siderations, the  Episcopalians  of  this  city  and  Brooklyn  held  a 
meeting  on  the  19th  of  April  last,  at  which  the  Right  Rev.  the 
Bishop  of  the  Diocese  presided,  and  it  was  resolved  to  constitute 
the  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  whose 
first  anniversary  we  have  met  this  evening  to  celebrate.     This 
Society,  in  the  language  of  our  Constitution,  is  composed  of  the 
life  members  and  patrons  of  the  New  York  Bible  and  Common 
Prayer  Book  Society  established  in  1809,  and  the  Auxiliary  Bible 
and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  incorporated  in  181 7;  and  of 
the  clergy  of  the  Diocese,  and  such  persons  as  shall  contribute  to 
its  funds. 

At  that  meeting  a  Constitution  for  this  Society  was  adopted, 


436  Twenty -Ninth  Report.  [1837 

and  the  officers  therein  enumerated  elected ;  a  Board  of  Managers 
was  chosen,  composed  of  clerical  and  lay  members,  to  whose  care 
has  been  confided  the  interests  of  the  institution.  The  two  Socie- 
ties heretofore  existing  have  transferred  to  this  their  property 
and  funds,  which  are  as  follows : 

From  the  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society 
about  the  sum  of  $2,000,  now  deposited  with  the  New  York  Life 
Insurance  and  Trust  Company  at  an  interest  of  5  per  cent,  per 
annum,  and  a  small  dividend  due  from  the  Mutual  Insurance 
Company,  and  $16.92  cents  in  the  bank. 

This  Society  have  received  from  the  Auxiliary  New  York 
Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  property  and  funds 
amounting  to  $4,514.39  cents,  most  of  which  consisted  of  stereo- 
type plates  of  the  Bible  and  Prayer  Book. 

Since  our  present  organization,  there  has  been  received  in  addi- 
tion to  the  amounts  above  mentioned,  the  sum  of  $197.41  cents; 
and  there  has  been  expended  in  printing  and  distribution  of  the 
Bible  and  Book  of  Common  Prayer  the  sum  of  $1 1 1.  The  whole 
amount  of  the  available  means  of  the  Society  being  now  only 
$86.41  cents. 

From  the  report  of  our  Agent  it  appears  that  the  Auxiliary 
New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  has  dis- 
tributed since  the  last  anniversary  of  that  institution,  225  Bibles, 
3,059  Prayer  Books,  and  24  copies  of  the  Psalms. 

Since  the  organization  of  your  present  Society  there  has  been 
distributed  26  Bibles,  786  Prayer  Books,  12  Testaments,  and  500 
copies  of  the  Psalms. 

Applications  are  now  pending  before  the  Board  for  about  1,000 
Prayer  Books  and  200  Bibles  and  Testaments. 

The  Board  regret  to  state,  that  although  these  applications  are 
of  a  most  interesting  character,  and  ought,  if  possible,  to  be 
granted,  yet  such  are  the  present  resources  of  the  Board  that  they 
have  most  unwillingly  been  compelled  to  postpone  a  decision  upon 
them.  The  Board  of  Managers  appeal  with  confidence  to  the 
liberality  of  their  fellow  Churchmen,  not  only  for  the  means  to 
meet  these  demands,  but  to  aid  those  who  may  hereafter  be  appli- 
cants for  our  bounty. 

So  pressing  and  numerous  have  been  the  calls  for  the  Book  of 
Common  Prayer  that  the  Society  soon  after  its  formation  found 
that  the  editions  formerly  ordered  were  exhausted,  and  that  none 
remained  to  meet  the  urgent  requests  which  are  daily  coming  in 


1837]  Twenty -Ninth  Report.  437 

to  us.  The  Board  of  Managers,  relying  upon  the  hberality  of 
the  Church  and  the  devotion  of  its  members,  did  not  hesitate  to 
take  measures  to  meet  these  demands.  They  dared  not  turn  a 
deaf  ear  to  them.  They  hoped  that  the  Church,  whose  agents 
they  are,  would  not  have  sanctioned  such  a  refusal.  The  Board 
have  therefore  caused  to  be  printed  an  edition  of  5,000  copies  of 
the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  at  an  expense  of  $950;  and  they 
appeal  to  their  brethren  of  the  Church  to  step  forward,  cheerfully 
and  promptly,  and  not  only  enable  the  Board  to  discharge  this 
debt  against  them,  but  furnish  the  means  to  print  yet  more  and 
larger  editions.  The  appeals  to  us  are  numerous  and  urgent. 
The  scattered  members  of  our  communion  stretch  out  their  hands 
to  us  for  aid,  and  can  we,  so  long  as  we  have  the  ability,  send 
them  empty  away? 

Frequent  appeals  are  made  from  the  far  West  for  donations, 
and  they  come  so  eloquently  clothed  that  we  cannot  resist  them. 
More  than  our  Church,  we  trust,  has  been  founded  and  fostered 
into  strength  and  stability  by  our  liberality,  and  the  only  return 
we  ask  of  them  is  that  they  will  do  for  others  what  has  been  done 
for  them.  Can  we  refuse  the  earnest  entreaties  which  are  sent 
to  us  from  all  quarters  for  the  words  of  salvation  ?  When  those 
who  are  famishing  for  the  bread  and  water  of  life  send  to  us 
their  prayers,  shall  we  send  the  messengers  empty-handed  away  ? 

It  is  the  Church  at  large  which  must  answer  this  solemn  ques- 
tion. To  them  we  appeal,  for  we  are  but  their  almoners.  We 
plead  for  thousands  of  our  fellow  beings — many  of  them  in  the 
distant  wilds — among  whose  rocks  and  valleys  the  sound  of  the 
church-going  bell  "has  never  echoed."  The  written  Word  can 
penetrate  where  the  foot  of  the  living  preacher  has  never  yet 
trodden.  Will  not  all  those  who  love  the  Church  and  the  Gospel 
of  our  Lord  and  Saviour,  gladly  give  of  their  abundance,  and 
even  of  their  poverty  (for  the  widow's  mite  was  not  without  a 
blessing),  that  they  may  scatter  this  precious  seed,  which  shall 
cause  "the  desert  to  rejoice  and  blossom  as  the  rose"  ?  Let  this 
go  forth  as  the  herald  of  Him  who  bringeth  glad  tidings. 

For  our  brethren  who  need  the  consolation  of  the  Bible  and 
our  holy  and  revered  Liturgy  and  are  deprived  of  the  ordinances 
of  our  Church,  we  plead — for  them  we  ask  your  aid,  that  we  may 
be  able  to  send  light,  even  the  light  of  the  Sun  of  Righteousness, 
as  it  beams  from  every  page  of  his  holy  Word,  to  those  who  "sit 
in  darkness."    We  know  that  we  shall  not  ask  in  vain,  although 


438  Twenty-Ninth  Report.  [1837 

a  cloud  has  shadowed  the  prospects  of  this  city  in  a  worldly  point 
of  view  the  last  year;  yet  we  rejoice  to  say  that  the  institutions 
of  our  holy  religion  have  not  been  suffered  to  languish,  and  some 
of  the  most  important  societies  have  received  even  larger  contri- 
butions than  in  any  previous  year.  This  is  not  the  time  or  the 
place  to  urge  the  importance  of  sending  the  pure  word  of  the 
Gospel  to  all  mankind.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  none  bearing  the 
Christian  name  can  doubt  on  that  subject. 

May  we  not  say  a  word  for  our  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  with 
its  solemn  rituals,  its  beautiful  and  appropriate  prayers,  its  sub- 
lime and  touching  Litany.  Is  it  not  a  meet  companion  for  the 
Bible,  from  whose  sacred  pages  it  is  almost  exclusively  compiled? 
But  we  need  not  enlarge  upon  this  subject.  Our  Church  has 
decided  that  all  her  children  are  fellow  labourers  in  the  same 
cause ;  all  on  missionary  ground,  and  bound  to  help  in  the  glorious 
work  of  salvation  to  the  utmost  of  their  abilities.  Let  us  remem- 
ber that  in  aiding  such  a  cause,  it  may  most  emphatically  be 
said,  "It  is  twice  blest — it  blesseth  him  that  takes  and  him  that 
gives." 

With  these  statement  we  commit  the  interests  of  our  Society 
to  our  brethren  of  the  Church.  In  this  large  and  wealthy  Dio- 
cese, we  will  not  doubt  but  that  our  hands  will  be  strengthened 
and  the  sphere 'of  your  influence  be  still  more  enlarged.  We 
hope  our  clerical  and  lay  brethren  from  the  interior  of  the  State 
will  remember  us  in  their  benefactions,  and  render  us  all  the  aid 
in  their  power. 

If  all  would  do  something  we  should  be  able  to  accomplish 
much  more  than  we  have  yet  done.  The  calls  for  light  and 
knowledge  are  numerous  and  pressing.  Our  time  for  usefulness 
is  short;  let  us  therefore  labour  without  ceasing,  "while  it  is  day, 
the  night  cometh  when  no  man  can  work." 

Report  of  Treasurer,  Mr.  Thomas  Browning. 

First  Receipts  to  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common 
Prayej  Book  Society. 

Disposable  Fund,  balance $8  40 

Country  Parishes 90  38 

New  York  and  Brooklyn 84  50 

Individual  Donations  and  Subscriptions 243  50 

$426  78 


1837]  Twenty-Ninth  Report.  439 

Contra. 

Paid  New  York  Protestant  Episcopal  Press $35°  oo 

Printing  Notices,  &c. 3  oo 

Commission  for  Collecting,  Sales,  &c 26  85 

Discount  on  uncurrent  money 56 

$380  42 
On  hand $46  36 

Second.    The  Receipts  to  the  New  York  Bible  and  Common 
Prayer  Book  Society. 

The  Balance  from  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible 

and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society $46  36 

From  Bishop  Kemper's  Mission 10  00 

Bible  Prayer  Book  and  Tract  Society,  Gen.  Theo. 

Sem 92  04 

Prom  Donations  and  Subscriptions 31  00 

From  Sales  by  Agent 21   13 

From  Agent  on  account  of  Sales 18  76 

For  Packing  Boxes,  &c 237 

$117  60 

Balance  on  hand $31  34 

Stereotype  Fund $25  00 

Oct.  2,  1837. 

Oct.  3-6.     Receipts  during  Convention 146  30 

5,000  copies,  i8mo  Prayer  Book 900  00 

Due  Agent  and  Rent  of  Depository 200  00 

Edition  of  Bible  &  8vo  Prayer  Book  much  wanted.         600  00 

$1,700  00 

Towards  which  on  hand  Balance $31  34 

Amount  received  during  Convention 146  30 

177  64 

Deficit    $1,522  36 

The  Treasurer's  Report  is  followed  by  a  statement  of  the  privi- 
leges of  members  extracted  from  the  by-laws. 


440  Election  of  Officers.  [183T 


The  First  Address  of  the  Society  is  given  in  full.  It  is  assigned 
to  "the  late  Bishop  Hobart"  as  the  author.  The  Constitution 
follows  the  address,  after  which  is  given  the  list  of  officers. 

Upon  the  last  two  pages  are  printed  the  names  of  the  Patrons, 
Life  Members  and  Annual  Subscribers. 

Turning  to  the  MSS.  records  of  the  Society  we  find  that : 

Pursuant  to  adjournment  the  Society  met  at  the  Sunday  School 
Room  of  St.  John's  Chapel,  on  Thursday  evening,  the  12th  Octo- 
ber, 1837,  at  7  o'clock,  William  E.  Dunscomb,  Esq.,  Fifth  Vice 
President,  in  the  Chair. 

It  was  Resolved,  That  the  Society  proceed  to  the  election,  by 
ballot,  of  officers  for  the  ensuing  year. 

Mr.  Butler  and  Mr.  Townsend  were  appointed  tellers,  who  re- 
ported on  counting  the  ballots  that  the  following  persons  were 
duly  elected : 

Rev.  Thomas  Lyell,  D.D.,  ist  Vice  President. 

Rev.  William  Berrian,  D.D.,  2d  Vice  President. 

Rev.  W.  R.  Whittingham,  D.D.,  3d  Vice  President. 

Rev.  L.  P.  Bayard,  D.D.,  4th  Vice  President. 

W.  E.  Dunscomb,  5th  Vice  President. 

Floyd  Smith,  6th  Vice  President. 

John  Alstyne,  7th  Vice  President. 

Henry  I.  Seaman,   8th  Vice  President. 

Alex.  L.  McDonald,  Corresponding  .Secretary. 

Henry  E.  Davies,  Recording  Secretary. 

Thomas  Browning,  Treasurer. 

Thomas  C.  Butler,  Agent. 

Managers: — Rev.  James  Milnor,  D.D.,  Rev.  Lot  Jones,  Rev. 
Thomas  H.  Taylor,  Rev.  J.  F.  Schroeder,  D.D.,  Rev.  B.  I. 
Haight,  Rev.  Hugh  Smith,  A.  Hanford,  W.  Betts,  S.  J.  Beebe, 
J.  D.  Fitch,  M.D.,  Hamilton  Fish,  Lewis  Curtis,  M.  D.  Benja- 
min, Fred.  De  Peyster,  G.  G.  Van  Wagenen,  William  M.  Benja- 
min, Lewis  Phillips,  Wm.  H.  Townsend,  James  O.  Cammann, 
C.  R.  Swrods.  R.  Gracie,  Theron  Wilbur,  C.  N.  S.  Rowland,  W. 
H.  Hobart,  M.D. 

Standing  Committees. 

Of  Arrangement :  —  Thos.  Browning,  Treasurer,  Office,  yy 
Maiden  Lane:  Thomas  C,  Butler,  Agent,  office,  28  Ann  street; 
Rev.  L.  P.  Bayard,  S.  J.  Beebe,  C.  N.  S.  Rowland. 


1837]  The  Megary  Plates.  441 

Of  Distribution : — Thomas  C.  Butler,  Agent,  office,  28  Ann 
street ;  Rev.  Lot  Jones,  Frederick  A.  De  Peyster. 

On   Stereotype  Plates: — Floyd   Smith,   Rev.   L.   P.   Bayard, 
Thomas  Browning. 

On  Stereotype  Fund : — Floyd  Smith,  Rev.  L.  P.  Bayard,  D.D., 
Thomas  Browning,  Thomas  C.  Butler. 

There  being  no  further  business,  the  Society  adjourned. 

Henry  E.  Davies,  Recording  Secretary. 

The  Society  subsequently  appointed  a  Committee  to  report 
upon  the  condition  of  the  Megary  plates. 

At  a  special  meeting,  held  October  31,  1857,  it  was 

"On  motion,  Resolved,  That  the  Committee  on  the  Megary 

plates,  together  with  the  agent,  be  a  committee  to  adjust  the 

accounts  with  the  Press  and  to  report  on  the  present  condition  of 

the  Permanent  Fund  at  the  next  meeting  of  the  Board."     (Folio 

65.) 

The  next  meeting  of  the  Board  transacted  much  important 
business. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  New  York 
Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  held  on  the  evening  of 
the  12  of  December,  1837,  at  the  Sunday  School  Room  of  St. 
John's  Chapel. 

Present,  Rt.  Rev.  B.  T.  Onderdonk,  President;  Rev.  Dr. 
Bayard,  4th  V.  P. ;  Rev.  B.  I.  Haight,  Messrs.  Dunscomb,  Butler, 
Browning,  Wilbur,  Smith,  Phillips,  Fitch,  Beebe,  Alstyne, 
Rowland,  Seaman,  Hanford,  Townsend,  and  Benjamin. 

The  Secretary  being  absent,  W.  H.  Townsend  was  appointed 
Secretary  pro.  tem. 

The  Treasurer  submitted  his  Report  from  which  it  appears 
that  since  the  last  Report  he  has  received  $61.50,  and  expended 
$457.96,  leaving  a  balance  on  hand  of  $1,241.31. 

Which  Report  was  accepted. 

The  Agent  presented  his  Report,  from  which  it  appears  that 
since  October  31  he  has  distributed  875  Prayer  Books. 

Which  Report  was  accepted. 

The  committee  on  the  settlement  of  the  account  with  "The 
Protestant  Episcopal  Press"  and  on  "The  Megary  Plates,"  ap- 


442  The  Megary  Plates.  [1837 

pointed  at  the  last  meeting  of  the  Board,  presented  their  report 
in  the  words  following : 

"The  committee  to  whom  was  referred  the  question,  'in  what 
mode  should  the  accounts  of  the  Society  with  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Press  be  settled,'  and  Svhat  disposition  should  be  made 
of  the  Megary  plates,'  beg  leave  to  report, 

"That  in  reference  to  the  first  of  these  objects  it  appears  that 
the  Society  is  indebted  to  the  Press,  its  former  publishers,  for 
books,  &c.,  to  the  amount  of  $1,005.49,  and  that  the  Tress'  is 
indebted  to  the  Society  for  various  deposits  made  on  account  of 
its  'Permanent  Fund'  to  the  amount  of  $1,114.49,  leaving  the 
balance  (including  the  special  deposit  of  $59.16)  in  favour  of  the 
Society  of  $168.66. 

"A  Permanent  Fund  from  its  very  nature  not  being  applicable 
to  the  payment  of  the  common  debts  of  the  Society,  the  Treas- 
urer very  properly  solicits  the  direction  of  the  Board  in  the 
premises. 

"Ordinarily  the  simple  and  proper  mode  of  settlement  would  be 
the  reciprocal  of  the  payment  of  the  debts  by  the  Treasurers  of  h 
the  reciprocal  of  payment  of  the  debts  by  the  Treasurers  of  the 
Institutions  respectively.  But  inasmuch  as  this  mode  of  settle- 
ment is  not  at  present  attainable  for  reasons  not  necessary  to 
be  embraced  in  this  report,  your  committee  beg  leave  to  recom- 
mend the  adoption  of  the  following  resolutons,  viz : 

"Resolved,  That  the  Treasurer  be  and  he  is  hereby  authorized 
to  settle  the  accounts  of  the  Society  with  the  Protestant  Epis- 
copal Press  by  allowing  the  amount  of  the  'Permanent  Fund' 
and  the  Special  deposit  in  the  hands  of  that  Institution  as  an 
offset  against  the  amount  of  the  Society's  indebtedness  to  the 
Press  for  Books,  &c. 

"That  he  pay  over  to  the  Treasurer  of  the  Domestic  Commit- 
tee of  the  D.  &  F.  Missionary  Society  the  amount  of  said 
Special  deposit,  and  out  of  the  funds  now  in  the  possession  of 
the  'Life  and  Trust  Company'  he  be  further  directed  to  appro- 
priate a  sum  exactly  equal  to  the  amount  of  the  'Permanent 
Fund'  absorbed  in  the  settlement  with  the  'Press,'  and  to  open  an 
account  in  his  own  books  under  the  head  of  'Stereotype  Fund,' 
to  which  fund  shall  be  credited  the  amount  so  appropriated. 

"Resolved,  That  the  'Stereotype  Fund'  be  kept  at  interest  with 
the  'Life  and  Trust  Company'  for  the  special  objects  indicated 


1837]  The  Megary  Plates.  443 

by  its  name,  and  for  the  further  purpose  of  making  such  tem- 
porary loans  to  the  common  funds  as  the  exigencies  of  the 
Society  may  occasionally  require,  and  as  the  Board  may  from 
time  to  time  direct  to  enable  the  Treasurer  to  meet  the  pecuni- 
ary engagements  of  the  Society  with  honourable  fidelity.  Such 
loans  always  to  be  reimbursed  with  interest  at  the  rate  of  six 
per  cent,  per  annum  out  of  the  first  monies  which  may  there- 
after come  into  the  Treasury  from  annual  subscriptions,  dona- 
tions or  collections  in  churches. 

"In  relation  to  the  latter  of  the  subjects  referred  to  them,  your 
■committee  beg  leave  to  recommend  the  adoption  of  the  follow- 
ing Preamble  and  Resolutions : 

"Whereas,  the  New  York  and  the  Auxiliary  New  York 
Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Societies,  which  are  now 
united  under  the  former  title,  was  originally  established 
for  the  charitable  purpose  of  gratuitously  distributing  the 
Bible  and  Book  of  Common  Prayer  among  the  destitute 
of  our  Communion;  and  whereas,  the  elegant  set  of  Stereotype 
plates  for  the  octavo  Book  of  Common  Prayer  commonly  known 
as  'Megary  Plates,'  was  purchased  with  a  view  to  the  invest- 
ment of  a  certain  sum  of  money  held  by  the  Auxiliary  So- 
ciety as  a  'Permanent  Fund'  under  a  special  arrangement  with 
the  Protestant  Episcopal  Press,  by  which  that  Institution  agreed 
to  pay  the  interest  of  the  cost  of  said  plates  and  to  allow  in 
addition  thereto  a  certain  compensation  for  the  use  thereof; 
and  whereas,  the  arrangement  heretofore  subsisting  between  the 
Society  and  the  'Press,'  under  which  the  latter  was  the  Business 
Agent  thereof  having  been  terminated;  and  whereas,  by  that 
event  it  has  become  necessary  to  make  such  use  of  or  dispose  of 
said  plates  in  such  a  way  as  that  they  shall  fulfil  the  original 
intention  of  the  'Fund'  with  which  they  were  purchased;  there- 
fore, 

"Resolved,  That  the  Agent  be  and  is  hereby  authorized  to  offer 
for  sale  the  set  of  8vo.  stereotype  plates  usually  known  as  the 
^Megary  Plates,'  and  at  a  sum  not  less  than  $800,  and  to  de- 
posit the  amount  received  for  the  same  in  the  'Life  and  Trust 
Company'  to  the  credit  of  the  'Stereotype  Fund'  of  the  Society. 

"Resolved,  That  the  Agent  be  and  is  further  authorized, 
should  such  an  opportunity  offer  before  the  plates  are  sold,  to 
contract  for  the  use  of  them  for  the  printing  an  edition  or  edi- 


444  Rubrics  in  Red.  [1837 


tions  by  any  private  responsible  publisher  at  such  compensation 
as  he  may  be  able  to  obtain,  and  to  deposit  the  same  with  the 
Trust  Company  as  above  directed. 
"All  which  is  respectfully  submitted. 

Floyd  Smith, 
L.  P.  Bayard, 
Thos.  Browning, 
Thos.  C.  Butler, 

Committee. 
"Which  said  Report  being  read  and  considered  was  accepted 
and   the    resolutions    therein   contained    were   adopted    by    the 
Board."     (Folio  66.) 

"On  motion,  Resolved,  That  this  Board  assume  the  debt  in- 
curred for  publishing  the  Morning  and  Evening  Service  in 
German  and  receive  the  balance  of  the  edition  for  distribution^ 
under  the  direction  of  the  Board. 

"Resolved,  That  the  Agent  have  power  to  distribute  at  dis- 
cretion until  the  next  meeting  of  the  Board. 
"Adjourned. 

"Henry  E.  Davies,  Recording  Secretary." 

(Folio  69.) 

On  the  1 2th  of  September,  1837,  we  find  a  resolution  was 
passed — 

"That  the  sum  deposited  by  St.  George's  Church  for  the 
printing  of  a  part  of  the  Liturgy  in  the  Mohawk  language  be 
transferred  to  the  Treasurer  of  the  Board  of  Domestic  Mis- 
sions, to  be  applied  to  the  same  purpose."     (Folio  57.) 

The  question  of  printing  an  edition  of  the  Prayer  Book  with 
the  Rubrics  in  red  came  up  for  the  first  thne  at  this  meeting  of 
the  1 2th  of  September,  and  was  evidently  not  considered  so 
simple  a  matter  as  it  would  now  be. 

"On  motion,  a  committee  consisting  of  the  Rev.  L.  P.  Bay- 
ard, Thomas  Browning  and  S.  Phillips  were  appointed  by  the 
Chair  to  consider  and  report  on  the  propriety  of  publishing  an 
octavo  copy  of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  with  the  Rubrics 
in  Red."    (Folio  57.) 

The  committee  at  the  next  meeting,  through  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Bayard,  presented  a  report  in  behalf  of  the  committee  on  the  sub- 


1837]  German  Service  Book.  445 

ject  of  publishing  an  edition  of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer 
with  the  Rubrics  in  red,  which  report  was  accepted  and  ordered 
on  file. 

On  motion  of  the  Rev.  B.  I.  Haight, 

"Resolved,  That  this  Board  approve  of  the  measure  reported 
by  the  Committee,  provided  that  it  can  be  made  to  appear  at  a 
future  meeting  of  this  Board,  that  the  same  can  be  entered  into 
with  propriety,  prudence  and  safety. 

"Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  five  be  appointed  to  report  in 
detail  on  the  subject  at  the  next  meeting  of  the  Board. 

"The  Chair  appointed  Rev.  L.  P.  Bayard,  Doct. ,  Whittingham, 
Messrs.  Browning,  Phillips  and  Beebe  such  committee."    (Folio 

58.) 

The  reference  to  the  Morning  and  Evening  Service  in  German, 
shows  that  even  then  the  design  of  ministering  to  the  various 
nations  who  were  beginning  to  make  new  homes  in  America 
had  been  formed.  The  pamphlet  edition  of  this  first  German 
service  book  is  now  extremely  rare.  It  consists  of  thirty-two 
unnumbered  pages.  Two  copies  are  in  the  Library  of  the  Gen- 
eral Theological  Seminary.  In  one  which  came  from  the  library 
of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Benjamin  I.  Haight  is  this  note  from  his  assist- 
ant who  then  was  to  retire  from  his  connection  with  All  Saints' 
Church,  where  he  efficiently  acted  as  principal  of  the  Male 
Parochial  School  as  well  as  aiding  in  the  pastoral  work  and 
Church  services. 

Dr.  Traver  became  subsequently  the  beloved  rector  of  St. 
Paul's  Church,  Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y.,  where  the  chancel  window 
of  the  present  Church  building  commemorates  his  incumbency 
of  twenty-one  years,  from  1845  to  1866. 

"My  Brother, 

"Will  you  accept  the  accompanying  copy  of  the  Morning  and 
Evening  Prayer  in  the  German  Language?  As  it  is  among  the 
last  remaining  in  print,  it  may  be  well  to  have  it  preserved  for 
use  in  case  of  any  unforseen  emergency. 

Truly  yours  in  Xt. 

Albert  D.  Traver. 
"New  York,  August  6,  42." 


446  German  Service  Book.  [1837 


The  title  of  the  German  service  book  is: 

"Ordniing  des  taglichen  Morgen-und  Abend-Gebetes  nebst 
einer  Litaney  zum  Gebrauch  der  deutsch-protestantischen  Epis- 
copal-Kirche  in  den  Vereinigten  Staaten.  New  York :  Doolittle 
and  Vermilye,  Nro.  262,  Greenwich-Strasse.  H.  Ludwig, 
Drucker."  i2mo.  18.4x11.7  cm.  Cover  of  yellow  paper.  32 
pp.  in  unpaged. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

CONTENTS. 

Second  Annual  Report,  October,  1838  —  Grant  to  the  New  Diocese  of  Western 
New  York  —  To  the  U.  S.  Frigate  "Brandywine"  —  Thirtieth  Annuial  Report, 
October,  1839  —  Anniversary  Meetings,  October  3,  1839  —  Election  of  W. 
H.  Bell  as  Secretary  —  Death  of  Jacob  Schatzel  —  His  Legacy  to  the  So- 
ciety and  Action  of  His  Widow  —  Address  of  Bishop  Onderdonk  —  Cessation 
of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Press  —  Anniversary  Meeting,  September  30, 
1840  —  Act  of  Incorporation  Desired  —  Propriety  of  Distributing  the  New 
Testament  Apart  from  the  Old  Testament  Considered  and  Referred  to  a 
Committee  —  Fourth  Annual  Report,  October,  1840  —  Manuscript  of  a  Ger- 
man Version  Submitted  —  Act  of  Incorporation  Passed  —  Society  Organizes 
and  Passes  Bye-Laws  —  Death  of  the  Rev.  Lewis  P.  Bayard. 

UNRUFFLED  prosperity  appears  to  have  favoured  the 
first  complete  year   of  the  re-organized   Society.     A 
desire  to    work,  the    confidence    and    interest    of   the 
Churchmen   of   the    Diocese    and   admirable   business 
management,  made  the  report  one  in  which  thankfulness  was 
the  dominant  note. 

1838.     Proceedings  of  the  Anniversary  Meeting. 

The  joint  anniversary  of  the  New  York  Bible  and  Common 
Prayer  Book  Society,  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Tract  Society, 
aiid  the  Education  and  Missionary  Society  of  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church  in  the  Diocese  of  New  York,  was  held  at  the 
Church  of  the  Ascension  on  Thursday  evening,  the  4th  of 
October. 

The  meeting  was  opened  with  prayer  by  the  Right  Reverend, 
the  Bishop  of  the  Diocese,  who  presided.  The  Report  of  the 
New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  was  read 
by  the  Rev.  Hugh  Smith,  D.D.,  Rector  of  St.  Peter's  Church. 
The  Rev.  Benjamin  I.  Haight,  Rector  of  All  Saints',  after  a 

447 


448  Thirtieth  Report.  [1838 

very  interesting  and  appropriate  address,  moved  the  following 
resolutions,  which  were  unanimously  adopted  : 

Resolved,  That  the  Report  just  read  furnishes  a  gratifying 
evidence  of  the  present  prosperity  of  the  Society,  and  presents 
a  very  strong  claim  to  the  warm  and  liberal  support  of  the 
Episcopal  public. 

Resolved,  That  the  Report  be  referred  to  the  Board  of  Man- 
agers for  printing  and  publication. 

After  other  proceedings  of  the  meeting,  the  congregation 
joined  in  singing  the  105th  Hymn,  when  after  devotion  by  the 
President,  the  meeting  adjourned. 

Wm.  H.  Bell,  Secretary. 

Second  Annual  Report — Being  the  Thirtieth  Consecu- 
tive Report. 

With  lively  satisfaction  do  the  Managers  of  the  New  York 
Bible  and  Prayer  Book  Society  present  their  second  annual 
Report  under  the  new  organization,  being  the  thirtieth  consecu- 
tive report,  because  they  are  enabled  to  state,  that  under  this 
new  organization  all  things  have  gone  well;  and  that  the  So- 
ciety having,  as  it  were,  renewed  its  youth,  bids  fair  to  become 
again  extensively  useful.  But  little  more  than  seventeen  months 
have  elapsed  since  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common 
Prayer  Book  Society  (of  which  the  Charter  had  expired)  was 
merged  into  the  parent  Society,  and  their  respective  funds  con- 
solidated. 

This  brief  time  has  been  well  improved,  as  will  be  evident  from 
the  following  particulars : 

It  was  announced  at  the  Anniversary  Meeting  in  October  last, 
that  the  Society  had  printed  an  edition  of  5,000  of  the  Book  of 
Common  Prayer.  They  would  now  announce  the  further  issuing 
from  their  press,  since  that  period,  of  750  Bibles,  1,000  Testa- 
ments and  6,000  small  and  500  octavo  Prayer  Books.  Their 
gratuitous  distributions  and  their  sales  during  the  same  period 
have  amounted  to  594  copies  of  the  Bible,  510  Testaments,  6,811 
small  and  238  octavo  Prayer  Books,  and  327  copies  of  the  Morn- 
ing and  Evening  Prayer  in  the  German  language.  The  sales 
during  this  time  having  amounted  to  only  $585,  it  will  be  seen 
that  the  gratuitous  distribution  must,  of  course,  have  been  liberal. 


1838]  Thirtieth  Report.  449 

This  distribution  has  been  in  proportions  which  will  be  seen  in 
the  published  statements  of  the  Society :  To  the  Domestic  Com- 
mittee of  the  D.  and  F.  Missionary  Society  of  our  Church  to  aid 
them  in  planting  and  sustaining  the  Church  in  the  more  newly 
settled  states  and  territories  of  our  extended  country ;  to  different 
individuals  and  associations  for  the  same  object,  to  Sunday 
Schools  in  which  they  have  been  especially  useful,  as  well  in  fix- 
ing the  Church  character  of  the  institution  as  in  familiarizing 
the  pupils  to  the  public  use  of  our  Liturgy,  and  engrafting  the 
reverence  and  love  for  it  in  their  early  years ;  to  the  United  States 
exploring  ships,  ships  of  war,  and  navy  yards,  that  those  engaged 
in  their  country's  service  might  not  forget  their  allegiance  to 
their  God;  but  that  the  mariner  on  the  mighty  deep  might  be 
taught  and  assisted  to  hallow  the  Sabbath,  and  so  to  pass  "the 
waves  of  this  troublesome  world"  that  he  might  at  last  reach  the 
Haven  of  Rest,  and  "come  to  the  Land  of  Everlasting  Life," 
mindful  of  the  command  and  promise  of  Him  who  said,  "I  w'as 
sick,  and  ye  visited  me;  I  was  in  prison,  and  ye  came  unto  me; 
for  inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it  unto  the  least  of  these  my  breth- 
ren ye  have  done  it  unto  me." 

The  Society  has  sent  the  treasure  of  God's  Word,  and  the 
devotional  offices  of  the  Church  to  minister  consolation  and  peace 
to  the  sick  and  dying  in  our  hospitals,  and  to  cheer  the  gloom  of 
our  prisons,  that  thus  to  the  poor  even  in  sickness  and  death  "the 
Gospel  might  be  preached,"  and  that  the  voice  of  penitence  and 
prayer  might  go  up  together  with  "the  sorrowful  sighing  of  the 
prisoner,"  and  "enter  into  the  ears  of  the  Lord  of  Sabaoth." 

The  Managers  would  ask  attention  to  the  following  gratifying 
statement.  Fourteen  years  ago  the  Society  had  not  a  book  in  the 
Depository.  Now,  notwithstanding  the  large  distribution  of  the 
past  year,  the  stock  on  hand  (all  of  which  is  paid  for,  and  the 
Society  owing  not  a  dollar)  amounts  to  142  Bibles,  490  Testa- 
ments, 262  octavo  and  3,900  small  Prayer  Books,  besides  having 
stereotype  plates  both  for  the  Bible  and  Prayer  Book  to  the  value 
of  $4,500. 

Its  printing  and  binding  have  been  well  executed,  and  at  a 
saving  in  cost  to  the  Society  of  over  $1,000,  which  considerably 
exceeds  the  whole  amount  of  its  extra  expenditures,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  change  of  business  by  resuming  its  own  agency. 
There  is  moreover  in  the  treasury,  accumulating  as  a  fund  to 
(29) 


450  Thirtieth  Report.  [1838 

provide  for  the  renewal  and  purchase  of  stereotype  plates  $1,230, 
and  disposable,  the  sum  of  $132. 

As  a  matter  of  information,  the  Managers  would  state,  that 
sales  are  made  to  other  Bible  and  Prayer  Book  Societies  at  re- 
duced prices,  and  to  individuals  and  the  trade  at  moderate  prices, 
affording  to  the  Society  a  small  but  sure  profit. 

The  receipts  of  the  past  year  (of  which  the  items  are  furnished 
in  the  Treasurer's  account),  are: 

From  Sales  $585  21 

From    Collections    in    Churches,    Contribu- 
tions, Annual  Subscriptions,  &c.,  &c. . ..    2,324  30 
It  will  be  seen  that  the  distribution  of  books  during  the  year 
has  largely  exceeded  that  of  Bibles.     This  was  to  be  expected, 
from  the  active  and  praiseworthy  exertions  of  other  and  larger 
associations  solely  contemplating  the  distribution  of  the  sacred 
volume;  from  the  fact  that  the  supplies  of  the  Scriptures  are 
variously  sought  and  received  from  all  denominations  of  profess- 
ing Christians,  while  the  Prayer  Book  is  exclusively  supplied  by 
the  institution  of  our  own  Communion ;  and  moreover,  from  the 
fact  that  the  Prayer  Book  is  required  not  only  for  private  use, 
but  also  for  associate  and  congregational  use.    But  the  Managers 
would  protest  against  the  inference  sometimes,  unjustly  and  un- 
generously drawn   from  the  disparity  in  number  between  the 
copies  of  the  Scriptures  and  of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer, 
sent  out  by  the  Society,  that  the  members  of  our  communion  are 
indifferent  to  the  circulation  of  the  sacred  volume;  or  that  they 
affix  a  higher  value  to  the  uninspired  than  to  the  inspired,  to  the 
devotional  formularies  of  the  Church  than  to  the  Word  of  the 
Living  God. 

Such  is  not  the  fact.  In  their  distribution  they  are  guided  by 
the  wants  and  requests  of  the  religious  public.  As  far  as  their 
means  permit,  they  give  to  all  that  ask,  and  give  what  is  asked. 
The  larger  distribution  of  Prayer  Books  arises  then  from  the 
larger  demand  for  them. 

The  wide  dissemination  of  the  Scriptures  by  other  hands  pre- 
vents any  very  extended  application  for  it  at  their  depository, 
but  the  calls  upon  them  for  the  Prayer  Book  are  frequent,  urgent 
and  increasing. 

They  desire  it  however,  to  be  distinctly  understood  that  they 
will  rejoice  to  give  a  copy  of  the  Sacred  Volume  to  every  one 


1838]  Thirtieth  Report.  451 

that  asks  it,  while  they  have  a  Bible  in  their  depository  or  a 
dollar  at  their  disposal.  It  is  a  gratifying  circumstance  that  the 
Society  can  this  evening  appear  before  you  unembarrassed  of 
debt,  and  with  the  means  of  usefulness  at  its  disposal. 

This  is  too  rarely  the  case  when  the  annual  statements  of  our 
religious  societies  are  made  to  the  public,  for  Christian  benevo- 
lence is  usually  too  scanty  and  fitful  in  its  flow  to  keep  fully  re- 
plenished that  fountain  from  which  those  who  are  weary  and 
athirst  must  drink;  and  hence  results  a  strong  temptation,  and 
almost  a  moral  necessity  to  those  engaged  in  supplying  the  spirit- 
ual wants  of  the  destitute,  to  aid  them  not  merely  according  "to 
their  power,  but  beyond  their  power" ;  not  only  to  give  what  they 
have,  but  to  procure  or  promise  what  they  have  not,  trusting  to 
the  future  benevolence  of  the  Christian  public  to  make  good 
engagements  into  which  they  felt  themselves  constrained  to 
enter  by  the  exigency  of  extreme  cases  and  the  force  of  Christian 
sympathy. 

But  it  may  well  be  left  to  the  good  sense  and  to  the  conscience 
of  all  pious,  reflecting  and  sober-minded  Christians,  whether  it 
is  not  better  that  Christian  liberality  should  be  so  timely  in  its 
exercise  as  to  enable  the  conductors  of  the  religious  charities  of 
the  Church  to  meet  every  proper  and  reasonable  demand,  with- 
out contracting  that  indebtedness  which  was  crushing  to  the 
spirit,  and  as  crippling  to  the  energies  of  associations  as  indi- 
viduals. Whether  it  is  not  better  and  more  consonant  with 
Christian  duty  to  prevent  embarrassment  than  to  extricate  them 
from  embarrassment.  The  Managers  feel,  therefore,  that  they 
are  not  unduly  relying  upon  the  correct  moral  sense  and  the  high 
Christian  principles  of  the  members  of  our  communion,  in  indulg- 
ing the  trust  that  the  cheering  fact,  this  evening  announced,  of  a 
well  filled  Depository  and  entire  freedom  from  debt,  will  not  be 
made  an  argument  for  that  diminution  of  liberality,  which  would 
soon  render  the  Society  impotent  for  good,  and  perhaps  endanger 
its  existence,  but  rather  a  motive  to  that  increased  and  increasing 
support  which  will  give  order,  vigour  and  efficiency  to  all  its 
operations.  It  is  as  obviously  the  dictate  of  sound  justice  to 
maintain  in  their  efficiency  institutions  which  are  already  flourish- 
ing as  to  revive  those  that  are  languishing.  It  need  scarcely  be 
said  that  it  is  far  more  easy ;  for  when  once  a  certain  degree  of 


452  Thirtieth  Report.  [1838 

strength  and  momentum  are  obtained,  but  little  is  required  to 
urge  forward  in  the  rapid  course  of  usefulness. 

Confidently  then,  do  we  look  for  that  constant  support  from 
the  Churchmen  of  the  Diocese  which  will  enable  us  to  announce 
at  our  next  and  at  each  succeeding  anniversary,  with  honest  ex- 
ultation and  Christian  gratitude  that  we  are  still  unshackled  with 
debt  and  free  and  prepared  to  give. 

As  it  is,  from  the  extensive  demands  upon  our  Depository  that 
the  stock  now  on  hand  will  soon  be  exhausted,  the  Society  felt 
constrained  at  its  last  meeting  to  authorize  the  publication  of  an 
enlarged  edition  of  the  Bible,  and  a  very  large  edition  of  the 
smaller  Prayer  Book,  and  also  with  a  view  to  the  convenience  of 
Episcopalians,  and  the  interests  of  the  Society,  a  new  impression 
of  the  elegant  Megary  Prayer  Book,  the  stereotype  plates  of 
which,  although  owned  by  the  Society,  have  long  been  lying  idle 
for  want  of  funds. 

In  thus  endeavouring  to  meet  the  wants  of  our  Communion, 
the  Managers  trust  they  will  be  generously  and  liberally  encour- 
aged. 

Increased  support,  it  is  evident,  will  be  needed  to  make  the 
distributions  of  the  Society ;  we  will  not  say  commensurate  with, 
but  in  any  degree  proportioned  to  the  increasing  wants  of  our 
vast  and  extending  country. 

The  calls  from  the  western  part  of  the  State  will  not,  it  is 
believed,  be  at  all  diminished  by  the  fact  of  its  erection  into  a 
new  Diocese,  and  the  Managers  would  blush  for  the  Church  in 
this  section  of  the  State  if  they  could  for  a  moment  suppose  that 
these  calls  would  be  the  less  willingly  heard,  or  the  less  kindly 
responded  to.  From  the  territories  in  which  unorganized,  and 
from  the  feebler  Dioceses  of  the  far-stretching  West,  the  cry  for 
aid  from  the  Society  will  doubtless  be  frequent  and  loud. 

What  Churchman,  what  Christian,  but  must  feel  the  import- 
ance of  sending,  in  answer  to  that  cry  those  precious  volumes 
which  will  keep  the  Faith  and  the  Church  of  their  Fathers  rooted 
in  the  minds  and  firm  in  the  affections  of  those  who  in  the  ardour 
of  youth  and  the  flush  of  enterprise  go  out  from  the  midst  of  us, 
to  join  that  swelling  multitude  which  is  overspreading  our  west- 
ern wilds,  and  which  without  religion  will  soon  be  as  fearful  in 
power  to  desolate  the  land  as  it  will  be  resistless  in  aggregate 
strength.     In  anticipation  then,  of  demands  upon  our  aid,  more 


1838]  Thirtieth  Report.  453 

extended  and  more  unfortunate  than  have  yet  been  made,  and 
which  in  human  poHcy,  in  the  charity  of  the  Gospel,  and  in  the 
fellowship  of  the  Church  ought  not  to  be  turned  aside,  we  hesi- 
tate not  to  ask  from  the  individual  members  and  from  the  con- 
gregations of  the  Diocese,  a  prompt  and  vigorous  co-operation. 
Freely  we  have  received,  of  temporal  good  and  Christian  privi- 
lege. Freely  let  us  give.  Let  none  who  ask  be  denied  fellowship 
with  us  in  prayer;  fellowship  with  us  in  the  ordinances  of  the 
Church.  Let  none  who  ask  from  us  "the  bread  of  life"  be  "sent 
empty  away."  Let  not  through  lack  of  our  prayers,  our  com- 
passions, our  aid,  our  less  favoured  brethren  "perish,  for  whom 
Christ  died." 

Treasurer's  Report. 

New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  in  ac- 
count with  Thomas  Browning,  Treasurer. 

Disposable  Fund. 
1838,  October  4.  Dr. 

To  paid  sundry  bills  for  paper $949  50 

To  paid  sundry  bills  for  printing 560  80 

To  do.,  binding i>075  87 

To  paid  18  months  rent  of  Depository  up  to  the  ist 

of  November 175  00 

To  paid  store  and  pipe  and  coal $13  32 

Attendance  at  St.  John's 10  00  23  32 

To  paid  insurance 11  25 

Stationery,  paper,  printing  notices,  postage, 

&c 23  79         45  04 

To  paid  salary  to  Agent, 

For  1837 $131  24 

And  1838 500  oo"        631  24 

To  paid  salary  of  boy 50  00 

To  do.  Doolittle  and  Vermilye's  bill  for  printing 
Morning  and  Evening  Service  in  the  German 

language  by  special  order  of  the  Board 43  68 

To  paid  James  Swords,  Esq.,  Treasurer  of  the  Do- 
mestic Board  of  the  General  Missionary  Society, 
the  amount  of  a  special  deposit  with  the  P.  E. 
Press  for  printing  portions  of  the  Liturgy  in 


454                           Thirtieth  Report.  [1838 

the  Mohawk  language,  will  be  refunded  as  soon 

as  collected  from  that  institution 58  87 

To  balance  on  hand 324  42 

$3,943  74 

1838,  October  4.  Cr. 

By  balance  per  last  year's  account $31  34 

By  cash  received  from  country  parishes 302  71 

By  do,  city  do 839  22 

By  do.  sales 585  21 

By  do.  individual  donations 600  75 

By  do.  annual  dues $357  50 

By  do.  twenty  new  subscribers 56  00  413  50 

By  certificate  of  deposit  with  the  New  York  Life  In- 
surance and  Trust  Company  from  the  late  New 

York  Bible  and  Prayer  Book  Society  for 1,986  81 

By  a  balance  in  bank  of  New  York 16  92 

From  the  Mutual  Insurance  Company 17  50 


$2,021  23 


Less  transferred  to  refund  the  Stereotype  Fund  of 
the  late  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common 
Prayer  Book  Society,  absorbed,  as  per  statement.      1,115  o^ 


$906  23 
By  cash,  interest  from  the  New  York  Life  Insurance 

and  Trust  Company  up  to  ist  January,  1838. .  181  66 
By  collection  after  divine  service  at  the  Convention  in 

Trinity  Church,  New  York 78  12 

$3»943  74 
By  balance  on  hand $324  42 

Stereotype  Fund.  Dr. 

To  balance $1,230  00 

Cr. 

By  balance  on  hand  per  last  year's  account $25  00 

By  cash  to  constitute  David  I.  Jones  a  life  member. .  25  00 

By  do,  W.  C.  Pierpont,  do 25  00 

By  do,  Edward  P.  Livingston,  do 25  00 


1838]  Thirtieth  Report.  455 

By  do,  Miss  E.  W.  Shelden,  do 25  oo 

By  transfer  from  Disposable  Fund 1,115  00 

New  York,  4th  October,  1838.  $1,230  00 

Thomas  Browning,  Treasurer. 

Statement  of  account  yet  unsettled  with  the  Protestant  Episcopal 

Press.  Dr. 

To  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer 

Book  Society  Permanent  Fund  Account $1,115  00 

To  donation  of  fifty  dollars  to  New  York  Bible  and 
Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  by  the  hand  of 

Rev.  R.  B.  Croes,  with  interest 57  00 

To  cash  paid  by  Miss  E.  W.  Shelden 10  00 

To  balance  of  interest  to  ist  March,  1838 4  92 

$1,246  07 

Cr. 

By  account  against  Auxiliary  N.  Y.  Bible  and  Com- 
mon Prayer  Book  Society's  Disposable  Fund 

Account   $500  Tj 

By  account  against  New  York  Bible  and  Common 

Prayer  Book  Society 402  02 

By  account  against  this  Society 102  70 

By  transfer  of  Rev.  C.  N.  Mead's  account  of  Prayer 
Books  held  for  use  of  prisoners  at  Sing  Sing,  by 

order  of  New  Board,  on  his  application 50  88 

By  balance  189  70 

To  balance  due  the  New  York  Bible  and  Common 

Prayer  Book  Society,  cash,  ist  March,  1838.  ...  189  70 

Contributors,  29  Country  and   12  City  Churches. 
Sales  and  Distribution  of  Prayer  Books. 

United  States  Navy 525 

Connecticut    202 

Rhode  Island  100 

New  Jersey 153 

Virginia    24 

Maryland    25 

North  Carolina   24 


456                         Election  of  Officers.  [1838 

Georgia    36 

Ohio    160 

Illinois   24 

Florida   74 

Tennessee  150 

Mississippi    icx> 

Wisconsin    185 

Michigan   17/ 

Domestic  Missions   of  the  Domestic  and  Foreign  Mis- 
sionary Society 400 

State  Prison 300 

Auxiliary  Societies,  Hospitals,  Seamen,  Sunday  Schools, 

Country  Parishes,  &c.,  in  the  State  of  New  York. . . .  4,384 


7,04^ 


At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Society  held  at  the  Depository, 
28  Ann  street,  Thursday,  4th  of  October,  1838,  Rev.  Lot  Jones 
in  the  chair,  J.  D.  Fitch,  M.D.,  Secretary,  the  meeting  proceeded 
to  the  election,  by  ballot,  of  Officers  and  Managers  for  the  ensu- 
ing year,  when  the  following  were  declared  to  be  duly  elected : 

Right  Rev.  B.  T.  Onderdonk,  D.D.,  President,  ex-officio. 

Rev.  William  Berrian,  D.D.,  ist  Vice  President. 

Rev.  Lewis  P.  Bayard,  2nd  Vice  President. 

Rev.  W.  R.  Whittingham,  D.D.,  3rd  Vice  President. 

Rev.  B.  L  Haight,  4th  Vice  President. 

William  E.  Dunscomb,  5th  Vice  President. 

Floyd  Smith,  6th  Vice  President. 

C.  N.  S.  Rowland,  7th  Vice  President. 

Henry  L  Seaman,  8th  Vice  President. 

Alexander  L.  McDonald,  Corresponding  Secretary. 

William  H.  Townsend,  Recording  Secretary. 

Thomas  Browning,  Treasurer. 

Thomas  C.  Butler,  Agent. 

Managers: — Rev.  Thomas  H.  Taylor,  D.D.,  Rev.  Lot  Jones, 
Rev.  Hugh  Smith,  D.D.,  Rev.  J.  F.  Schroeder,  D.D.,  Rev.  J.  M. 
Wainwright,  D.D.,  Rev.  J.  H.  Price,  Rev.  J.  Peck,  S.  J.  Beebe, 
J.  D.  Fitch,  M.D.,  G.  A.  Sabine,  M.D.,  O.  Cammann,  C.  R. 
Swords,  Robert  Gracie,  W.  H.  Hobart,  Theron  Wilbur,  F.  A. 
De  Peyster,  Theophilus  Peck,  William  M.  Benjamin,  A.  Van 


1839]  Grant  to  Western  New  York.  467 

Ingen,  Lewis  Phillips,  C.  N.  Bostwick,  A.  Hanford,  J.  W.  Mitch- 
ell, W.  Betts,  G.  G.  Van  Wagenen.     (Folio  75.) 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Managers,  Tuesday,  23d  Octo- 
ber, were  elected  by  ballot  the  following: 
Standing  Committees. 

Committee  of  Arrangement : — Thomas  Browning,  Treasurer, 
office,  yy  Maiden  Lane ;  Thomas  C.  Butler,  Agent,  28  Ann  street ; 
Rev.  L.  P.  Bayard,  D.D.,  S.  J.  Beebe,  C.  N.  S.  Rowland. 

Committee  on  Stereotype  Plates: — Floyd  Smith,  Rev.  L.  P. 
Bayard,  D.D.,  Thomas  Browning. 

Committee  of  Distribution : — Thomas  C.  Butler,  Agent,  28 
Ann  street;  Rev.  Lot  Jones,  Frederick  De  Peyster. 

Committee  on  Stereotype  Fund : — Floyd  Smith,  Rev.  L.  P. 
Bayard,  D.D.,  Thomas  Browning,  Thomas  C.  Butler. 

The  Rev.  Benjamin  L  Haight,  the  Rev.  Lot  Jones  and  Mr.  5. 
J.  Beebe,  were  appointed  a  committee  to  consider  the  expediency 
of  printing  the  Prayer  Book  in  other  languages  than  our  own. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Managers  on  December  nth.  1838,  it 
was  resolved  to  purchase  a  set  of  folio  plates.  The  errors  in  them 
were  to  be  corrected  by  the  committee  authorized  to  procure  the 
plates,  the  Rev.  Hugh  Smith,  D.D.,  the  Rev.  Jonathan  M.  Wain- 
wright,  D.D.,  Mr.  Floyd  Smith  and  Mr.  Thomas  Browning. 

At  the  meeting  of  April  9,  1839,  a  grant  of  100  Prayer  Books 
was  made  for  the  U.  S.  troops  at  Fort  Dallas,  Florida. 

The  Western  District  of  the  Diocese  of  New  York,  having 
been  created  an  independent  diocese,  the  consecration  of 
Dr.  De  Lancey  led  to  this  graceful  action  of  the  Board  at  this 
same  meeting.^ 

The  chairman  announced  that  the  consecration  of  the  Bishop 
of  Western  New  York  would  shortly  take  place,  and  recom- 
mended that  as  an  expression  of  our  continued  interest  in  that 


I.  William  Heathcote  De  Lancey,  D.D.,  Rector  of  Saint  Peter's  Church, 
Philadelphia,  was  elected  the  first  Bishopi  of  Western  New  York  at  the 
Primary  Convention,  held  in  Trinity  Church,  Geneva,  on  All  Saints'  Day, 
November  i,  1838.  He  was  consecrated  in  St.  Peter's  Church,  Auburn,  on 
Ascension  Day,  May  9,  1839,  by  the  Rt.  Rev.  Dr.  Griswold,  Presiding  Bishop, 
assisted  by  the  Bishops  of  New  York  (Dr.  B.  T.  Onderdonk),  Penn- 
sylvania (Dr.  H.  U.  Onderdonk),  and  New  Jersey  (Dr.  Doane).  He  died 
at  Geneva  on  April  g,  1865,  in  his  68th  year. 


458  Anniversary  Celebration.  [1839 

section  of  our  labours  and  as  an  assurance  to  them  of  our  inter- 
est in  their  welfare,  when  they  shall  become  a  separate  Diocese 
who  have  heretofore  been  one  with  us,  that  we  present  through 
him  on  the  day  of  the  consecration  of  the  Bishop  of  said  Dio- 
cese, some  Bibles,  Prayer  Books  and  Testaments.  Whereupon, 
on  motion  of  the  Rev.  Benjainin  I.  Haight,  it  was 

Resolved,  That  250  Bibles,  500  New  Testaments  and  1,000 
Prayer  Books  be  presented  to  the  Bishop-elect  of  the  Diocese  of 
Western  New  York,  on  his  consecration,  for  distribution  by  him 
in  his  Diocese. 

Resolved,  That  the  above  books  be  forwarded  by  the  Agent  to 
Auburn,  to  be  presented  to  the  Bishop  of  Western  New  York  on 
the  day  of  his  consecration,  in  the  name  of  this  Society,  by  the 
President  thereof.     (Folio  79.) 

Bishop  Kemper  having  suggested  to  the  Society  the  advisa- 
bility of  opening  a  depot  in  St.  Louis  for  the  sale  of  Bibles  and 
Prayer  Books,  the  matter  was  referred  to  a  special  committee, 
which  reported  at  the  meeting  of  May  13th,  that  it  was  not 
expedient  to  establish  a  society  for  the  sale  and  return  of  books. 

A  supply  of  books  for  use  on  board  the  United  States  frigate 
"Brandy wine"  was  granted  on  September  30,  1839,  at  the  request 
of  the  Rev.  C.  S.  Stewart.  In  the  margin  Mr.  Bell  has  written 
the  words,  "A  Congregationalist."     (Folio  83.) 

The  report  for  the  year  was  soon  after  submitted  for 
approval  and  presented  at  the  anniversary  meeting  on  the  even- 
ing of  the  first  day  of  the  Convention  of  the  Diocese.  While 
the  first  glow  of  enthusiasm  had  disappeared,  the  Society  felt 
that  substantial  progress  had  been  made. 

Anniversary  Celebration  of  the  New  York  Bible  and 
Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  October  3,  1839. 

The  anniversary  celebration  of  this  Society  was  held  jointly 
with  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Tract  Society,  and  the  Education 
and  Missionary  Society,  at  St.  Bartholomew's  Church,  on 
Thursday  evening,  October  loth,  1839,  at  7  o'clock,  the  Right 
Rev.  B.  T.  Onderdonk,  Bishop  of  the  Diocese,  in  the  chair,  who 
opened  the  meeting  with  prayer. 

The  Third  Annual,  being  the  thirty-first  consecutive  Report 
of  the  Society,  was  read  by  Floyd  Smith,  Esq. 

The  Rev.  Robert  B.  Van  Kleeck,  Rector  of  St.  Paul's  Church, 


1839]  Thirty-First  Report.  459 

Troy,  accompanied  with  a  powerful  appeal  to  the  good  sense 
and  understanding  of  the  audience,  in  behalf  of  the  Society,  and 
concluded  by  offering  the  following  resolutions,  which  were 
unanimously  adopted : 

Resolved,  That  the  report  just  read,  while  it  furnishes  the 
most  satisfactory  evidence  of  the  rapid  extension  of  the  opera- 
tions of  the  Society,  does  not  at  the  same  time  exhibit  a  cor- 
responding regard  to  its  interests  on  the  part  of  the  Churches 
and  individuals  that  have  been  accustomed  to  contribute  to  its 
funds. 

Resolved,  That  this  Society,  in  consideration  of  its  objects 
and  daily  extending  usefulness,  is  justly  entitled  to  the  liberal 
contributions  of  the  friends  of  the  Church. 

Resolved,  That  this  report  be  referred  to  the  Board  of  Mana- 
gers for  printing  and  publication. 

The  business  of  the  evening  was  concluded  by  singing  the 
io6th  and  devotional  offices  by  the  Bishop. 

Wm.  H.  Bell,  Secretary  of  the  Joint  Meeting. 

Third  Annual  Report — Being  the  Thirty-First  Consecu- 
tive Report. 

The  Managers  of  the  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer 
Book  Society  have  the  satisfaction  of  now  presenting  to  their 
constituents  their  third  Annual  Report. 

But  it  will  be  remembered,  that  from  the  year  1809  the  Parent 
Society,  and  from  the  year  181 6  its  Auxiliary,  were  actively 
engaged  in  the  same  important  work.  This,  therefore,  is  to  be 
regarded  as  the  Thirty-First  Annual  Report,  from  this  portion 
of  the  Church  in  relation  of  what  has  been  done  to  promote  the 
distribution  of  the  Word  of  God,  and  its  best  and  most  efficient 
commentary  and  companion,  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer.  The 
object  of  the  consolidation  of  the  two  Societies  was  to  produce 
a  more  extensive  effect  by  the  united  action  of  those  engaged 
in  a  common  cause ;  and  the  Managers  believe  the  result  will  not 
disappoint  the  reasonable  anticipations  of  the  friends  of  the 
Church. 

By  a  comparison  of  the  Reports  for  the  last  and  the  present 
year,  it  will  be  seen  that  there  has  been  a  large  increase  in  the 
publication  and  in  the  sale  and  gratuitous  distribution  of  the 
books  of  the  Society. 


460  Thirty-First  Report.  [1839 

Since  the  last  anniversary  there  have  been  printed  1,500  Bibles, 
3,000  Testaments,  1,000  Prayer  Books  of  the  octavo  size,  and 
6,000  of  the  duodecimo,  making  a  total  of  11,000  volumes.  The 
previous  year  8,250  were  printed.  The  emissions  from  the  De- 
pository, by  sales  and  gratuitous  distributions  during  the  past 
year,  have  been  as  follows : 

1,153  Bibles,  1,354  Testaments,  530  octavo,  and  8,033  duo- 
decimo Prayer  Books,  making  a  total  of  11,070  volumes.  The 
emissions  during  the  previous  year  were  8,480  volumes.  A  de- 
tailed account  will  be  appended  of  the  manner  in  which  the 
sales  and  distributions  have  been  made.  From  this  account  it  will 
be  seen  that  the  sales  of  the  Society  have  increased  more  than, 
three- fold,  and  that  these  sales  have  been  made  more  principally 
to  Auxiliaries  and  subscribers  for  gratuitous  distribution.  This 
demand  has  been  supplied  from  the  common  editions,  and  at 
the  lowest  rate  of  prices.  A  further  sale  of  the  folio,  the  octavo 
Megarey  and  the  finer  editions  of  the  smaller  Prayer  Book,  to- 
gether with  Bibles  and  Testaments  in  a  great  variety  of  bind- 
ings, has  been  made  at  fair  remunerating  prices.  The  profits 
thus  accruing,  together  with  the  savings  upon  the  other  publi- 
cations of  the  Society,  have  exceeded  the  expenses  of  the 
Agency,  and  have  enabled  the  Society  to  extend  its  gratuitous 
distributions.  These  will  be  still  further  extended,  as  soon  as 
it  can  be  done  consistently  with  a  prudential  regard  to  the  funds 
of  the  Society,  and  to  its  obligations  to  Subscribers,  who  have 
claims  upon  it  for  books  in  proportion  to  the  amount  of  their 
subscriptions.  These  claims  the  Society  must  hold  itself  ready 
to  discharge  to  the  fullest  extent.  Books  unclaimed  for  one 
year,  however,  the  Managers  feel  can  be  added  with  propriety 
to  the  stock  for  gratuitous  distribution.  The  Stereotype  Plates 
of  the  Society  are  now  valued  at  $4,850.  The  increased  value 
in  this  property  is  caused  by  the  purchase  of  the  plates  of  the 
elegant  folio  edition  of  the  Prayer  Book  for  the  Reading  Desk, 
that  was  stereotyped  by  Messrs.  Connor  and  Cooke.  The  cost 
of  these  plates  and  135  copies  of  the  Prayer  Book  was  $600. 
This  debt  has  been  fully  discharged,  and  the  sale  of  the  books 
has  more  than  realized  the  expectations  formed  when  the  pur- 
chase was  made.  The  Society  therefore  is  now  enabled  to  en- 
sure to  Churches  a  very  superior  book  at  a  moderate  cost.  From 
this  favourable  statement  of  the  operations  of  the  Society  for 


1839]  Thirty-First  Report.  461 

the  past  year,  the  Managers  are  now  constrained  to  direct  the 
attention  of  their  good  constituents  to  a  topic  less  gratifying 
and  encouraging.  The  receipts  of  the  past  year  into  the  Treas- 
ury from  subscribers  have  not  been  as  large  as  they  were  the 
year  preceding,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  following  statement : 

Last  year.     Current  year. 

Collections  in  City  Churches $917  34         $720  17 

Do.        Country  Churches  ....       302  71  394  16 

Individual  Donations   600  75  413  75 

Annual  Subscribers 413  50  452  50 

Life  Members 90  00  225  00 

Sales   585  21        1,697  73 


$2,909  51  $3,903  31 
The  sum  total  of  the  receipts  for  the  present  year  is  larger  than 
for  the  last ;  but  not  as  much  larger  as  it  would  have  been  had 
the  collections  from  the  City  Churches  and  from  individual 
donations  maintained  the  same  ratio  of  increase  with  the  other 
resources  of  the  Society.  In  the  last  Annual  Report  it  was 
stated  "that  in  endeavouring  to  meet  the  wants  of  our  Com- 
munion, the  Managers  trust  they  will  be  generously  and  liberally 
encouraged.  Increased  support  will  be  needed  to  make  the  dis- 
tributions of  the  Society,  we  will  not  say  commensurate  with, 
but  in  any  degree  proportioned  to  increasing  wants  of  our  vast 
and  extending  country." 

An  appeal,  and  the  Managers  think  a  just  and  forcible  one, 
was  made  to  the  Churches,  and  to  individuals,  and  regret  that 
in  this  City  it  has  not  been  answered  to  the  extent  of  their 
hopes.  They  cannot  for  a  moment  suppose,  however,  that  this 
deficiency  in  collections  and  donations  arises  from  any  indifFer- 
erence  to  the  objects  of  the  Society,  or  any  distrust  as  to  the 
management  of  its  concerns;  they  would  rather  attribute  it  in 
part  to  inattention,  and  in  part  perhaps,  to  the  unusual  difficul- 
ties to  which  the  mercantile  community  has  been  subjected 
during  the  past  year.  They  therefore  take  courage  and  will  not 
slacken  their  efforts  nor  contract  their  operations.  They  are 
confident  that  the  work  in  which  they  are  engaged  is  of  the 
utmost  importance  to  the  extension  and  prosperity  of  the 
Church,  and  that  it  is  uniformly  felt  to  be  so  by  every  serious 
and  well-informed  Churchmen.    It  cannot  be,  therefore,  that  the 


462  Thirty-First  Keport.  [183^ 

appeal  made  last  year,  and  now  renewed,  will  again  be  made 
in  vain.  They  would  regard  it  as  implying  an  unjust  and  offen- 
sive distrust  of  the  piety,  the  intelligence  and  attachment  to  the 
distinctive  principles  of  the  Church  on  the  part  of  their  constitu- 
ents, were  they  at  this  day  and  after  the  full  reports  which  have 
been  set  forth  for  so  many  years  past,  to  attempt  to  enlarge 
upon  the  duty  of  the  members  of  the  Church,  to  contribute  in 
proportion  to  the  means  with  which  God  has  blessed  them,  for 
promoting  the  circulation  of  the  Bible  and  Book  of  Common 
Prayer.  The  duty  is  freely  and  fully  acknowledged  by  all,  and 
they  would  trust  that  it  will  hereafter  be  as  fully  discharged. 

Supply  them  with  the  means  and  the  Managers  of  the  New 
York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  pledge  them- 
^  selves  that  in  this  Diocese  there  should  be  no  member  of  the 
Church,  however  obscure,  that  should  not  be  supplied  with  these 
inestimable  volumes,  that  the  sick  in  every  hospital,  the  poor  in 
every  almshouse,  and  the  unhappy  delinquents  in  every  prison 
throughout  the  State,  shall  have  the  proffer  of  them,  that  no 
ship  in  the  service  of  the  country  and  no  merchant  vessel  shall 
leave  this  port  without  these  blessed  companions  to  the  sea- faring 
man,  that  the  applications  of  every  Sunday  School  and  every 
Mission  Church  and  every  destitute  congregation,  and  every 
place  where  two  or  three  are  gathered  together  to  commence  the 
holy  enterprise  of  forming  a  new  association  on  the  model  of 
primitive  truth  and  purity  shall  be  liberally  answered,  and  that 
there  shall  be  a  large  surplus  to  meet  the  wants  of  every  mission 
that  may  go  forth  on  domestic  or  foreign  duty  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Church.  All  this  shall  be  done  in  dependence 
upon  the  strength  and  "wisdom  that  cometh  of  the  Lord"  when 
the  people  of  this  Diocese,  yielding  to  the  admonitions  of  the 
Spirit,  shall  give  forth  the  adequate  means  to  accomplish  this 
great  and  holy  work. 

Treasurer's  Report. 

The  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  in 
account  current  with  Thomas  Browning,  Treasurer: 

Dr. 

To  cash  paid  for  paper $885  71 

Printing  457  ^5 

"        "          Binding  1,521   16 


1839]  Thirty. First  Report.  463 

To  cash  paid  for  Copies  i2mo  Prayer  Book 48  82 

"         "  Copies  fancy  Prayer  Book 63  00 

"         "  Copies  folio  Prayer  Book 250  00 

Incidental  expenses,  viz: 

Insurance  $25.00,  stationery,  etc.,  $3.88..   $28  88 

Rent  $200,  boy  $36.60 236  66 

Mr.  Morrison's  bill  for  attendance 6  00 

Advertising   3  50 

Sundry  bills  expense 36  93 

Agent's  salary 500  00  

$811  07 
To  stereotype   fund   for  use  of   plates   for  printing 

28,750  vols,  at  I  cent  per  vol 287  50 

$4,325  31 
To  balance  due  Treasury $3^  7  53 

Cr. 
1839. 

Oct.  6.    By  balance  on  hand $324  42 

"  Cash  from  30  country  parishes 394  16 

"  Cash  from  10  city  parishes 720  17 

"  Cash  from  Auxiliaries 5  00 

"  Cash  from  sales  by  Agent 34  24 

"  Cash  from i  ,661  49 

"  Cash  from  Individual  Donations 413  75 

"  Cash  from  Annual  Subscribers 452  50 

"  Balance    317  58 

Thomas  Browning,  Treasurer. 
New  York,  October  4,  1839. 

Stereotype  Fund. 
Dr. 
To  cash  paid  Connor  &  Cooke,  for  a  set  of 

stereotype  plates  of  folio  Prayer  Book. . .   $350  00 
Less  dis.  5  per  cent 1 7  50  

$332  50 

To  repairing  Testament  plates. 16  00 

To  balance  i  ,443  80 

$1,792  30 


464                         Thirty-First  Report.  [1839 

Distribution. 

Bibles.  Tests.     P.  B. 

Diocese  of  Western  New  York 250  500      1,000 

State  of  New  York 355  426      2,337 

"        New  Hampshire 6  24 

"        Massachusetts   77 

"        Connecticut   86 

Rhode  Island  12           12 

"        Vermont    12  12           42 

"        New  Jersey 13  24         177 

"        Pennsylvania    14  12           65 

"        Maryland    22 

"        Virginia    2  25         103 

"        Georgia    6  74 

"        Florida   6  12         164 

"        Alabama    24 

"        Missouri   25  204 

"        Mississipi    78 

"        Kentucky 36 

"        Tennessee    12 

"        Indiana    12  20           52 

Illinois   112 

Michigan   12           84 

Arkansas    6  12 

Navy  of  the  United  States 8  12         366 

Army  of  the  United  States 148 

Africa    24 

Texas    50  100         318 

765  1,167      5.653 

Sales  to  Auxiliaries,  subscribers,  &c 388  187      2,910 

1. 153  1.354     8,563 
,    Making  a  grand  total  of  11,070. 

At  the  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Society  held  at  St.  John's  Chapel 
School  Room,  on  Thursday  evening,  October  10,  1839,  Rev.  Lot 
Jones  in  the  Chair,  J.  D.  Fitch,  M.D.,  Secretary;  the  meeting 
proceeded  to  the  election,  by  ballot,  of  Officers  and  Managers 


1839]  Election  of  Officers.  465 

for  the  ensuing  year,  when  the  following  were  declared  to  be 
duly  elected : 

Officers. 

Right  Rev.  B.  T.  Onderdonk,  President,  ex-officio. 

Rev.  William  Berrian,  D.D.,  ist  Vice  President. 

Rev.  Lewis  P.  Bayard,  D.D.,  2d  Vice  President. 

Rev.  William  R.  Whittingham,  D.D.,  3d  Vice  President. 

B.  I.  Haight,  4th  Vice  President. 
William  E.  Dunscomb,  5th  Vice  President. 
Floyd  Smith,  6th  Vice  President. 

Henry  I.  Seaman,  7th  Vice  President. 

C.  N.  S.  Rowland,  8th  Vice  President. 
Alexander  L.  McDonald,  Corresponding  Secretary. 
William  H.  Tovvnsend,  Recording  Secretary. 
Thomas  Browning,  Treasurer. 

Thomas  C.  Butler,  Agent. 

Managers : — Rev.  Thomas  H.  Taylor,  D.D.,  Rev.  Samuel 
Seabury,  D.D.,  Rev.  John  M.  Wainwright,  D.D.,  Rev.  Hugh 
Smith,  D.D.,  Rev.  Lot  Jones,  Rev.  J.  H.  Price,  Rev.  Isaac  Peck, 
Rev.  Edward  Y.  Higbee,  Wm.  H.  Hobart,  M.D.,  J.  D.  Fitch, 
M.D.,  G.  A.  Sabine,  M.D.,  Frederick  De  Peyster,  Wm.  M.  Ben- 
jamin, John  Alstyne,  S.  J.  Beebe,  O.  Camman,  C.  R.  Swords, 
Robert  Gracie,  Wm.  H.  Bell,  Theron  Wilbur,  C.  B.  Bostwick, 
J.  W.  Mitchell,  Thos.  Peck,  Sam.  T.  Skidmore. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Managers,  Tuesday,  15th  Oc- 
tober, were  elected  the  following  Standing  Committees : 

Committee  of  Arrangements — Thomas  Browning,  Treasurer 
(Bank  of  America)  ;  Thomas  C.  Butler,  Agent;  Rev.  L.  P. 
Bayard,  D.D.,  S.  J.  Beebe,  C.  N.  S.  Rowland. 

Committee  of  Distribution — Thomas  C.  Butler,  Agent;  Rev. 
T^t  Jones,  Frederick  De  Peyster. 

Committee  on  Stereotype  Plates — Floyd  Smith,  Rev.  I^.  P. 
Bayard,  D.D.,  Thomas  Browning. 

Committee  on  Stereotype  Fund — Floyd  Smith,  Rev.  L.  P. 
Bayard,  Thomas  Browning,  Thomas  C.  Butler. 

A  report  of  an  examination  of  the  plates  owned  by  the  So- 
ciety is  entered  in  full  on  the  minutes. 

The  Committee  on  the  Stereotype  Plates  met  at  the  Deposi- 
(30) 


466  Stereotype  Plates.  [1839 

tory  December  4,  1839.  Present,  Rev.  L.  P.  Bayard,  D.D., 
Floyd  Smith  and  Thomas  Browning,  who,  accompanied  by  the 
Agent,  proceeded  to  an  examination  in  the  fireproof  vault,  found 
all  apparently  in  excellent  order  and  condition. 

20  boxes  containing  the  plates  of  the  Folio  Prayer  Book. 

20  boxes  painted  green  and  lettered  "Megarey"  8vo  Prayer 
Books. 

10  boxes  painted  slate  colour  and  lettered  "Societies"  8vo 
Prayer  Book. 

7  boxes  painted  slate  colour  and  lettered  "Societies"  4V0 
Hymns,  no  Psalms  belonging  to  this  Edition,  the  Megarey  being 
used  for  it. 

7  boxes  plain  i8mo  Prayer  Books  and  one  box  with  the  plates 
across  the  page. 

1 5  boxes  plain,  and  being  the  recently  purchased  Bible  plates. 

22  boxes  plain  (intended  to  be  painted  when  used)  old  plates. 

7  boxes  painted  and  lettered  the  Testament  part  of  this  edition. 

7  boxes  plain  old  Megarey  Psalms. 

6  boxes  plain  old  iSmo  Psalms. 

In  the  basement  room  not  yet  put  in  order,  several  boxes  in 
very  bad  condition,  containing  old  plates  and  a  number  of 
broken  empty  boxes  from  which  octavo  and  Megarey  plates  had 
been  taken  and  transferred  to  new  ones  by  the  Agent.  One 
box  containing  duplicate  plates  across  the  page,  was  in  the 
Depository,  a  proof  from  five  of  which  plates  exhibited  by  the 
Agent,  showed  the  very  bad  condition  they  were  in  and  utterly 
unfit  to  print  from.  The  Agent  never  having  printed  from 
these  plates,  had  no  previous  knowledge  of  the  bad  usage  they 
had  received. 

The  Agent  informed  the  committee  that  one  set  of  the  small 
Prayer  Book  plates  was  in  the  fireproof  vault  of  the  American 
Bible  Society,  where  they  had  been  placed  when  the  two  first 
editions  were  printed  by  Mr.  Fanshaw. 

All  which  is  respectfully  submitted. 

Floyd  Smith, 
Thom.\s  Browning, 
L.  P.  Bayard, 

Stereotype  Commee. 

^^w  York,  December  5,  1839. 


1840]  Schatzel  Legacy.  467 

On  examination  are  found  1 1  boxes  of  the  Society's  old 
Psalms  and  Hymns  of  pages  305  to  512  except  2  boxes  missing 
of  plates  number  369  to  384  and  481  to  496,  and  one  or  more 
pages  over  No.  512,  enquiries  for  which  have  been  made  at  the 
P.  E.  Press,  without  success. 

At  the  meeting  of  April  14th,  1840,  Mr.  W.  H.  Bell  was 
elected  Secretary  in  place  of  Mr.  W.  H.  Townsend,  who  was 
leaving  the  city. 

Early  in  the  year  1840,  Mr.  Jacob  Schatzel/  a  firm  friend 
of  the  Society,  departed  this  life.  His  own  contributions  had 
been  generous,  and  he  had  secured  large  gifts  from  others.  By 
his  will  he  left  a  legacy  of  two  thousand  dollars  to  the  Society, 
subject  to  a  life  interest  of  his  widow.  It  was  his  intention  that 
one-half  of  the  income  should  be  used  for  the  purchase  and  dis- 
tribution of  large  print  Prayer  Books  and  Bibles  for  the  aged, 
and  the  other  half  for  the  general  distribution.  His  widow  with 
the  same  desire  to  benefit  the  Society  as  her  husband  had,  and 
fearing  that  some  legal  complication  might  arise  after  her  death, 
made  an  offer  of  immediate  payment  upon  certain  conditions. 
Upon  them  the  Society  took  this  action  at  their  meeting  oil 
August  II,  1840: 

The  Revd.  Dr.  Wainwright  presented  the  following  preamble 
and  resolutions  respecting  a  bequest  of  the  late  Jacob  Schatzel 
of  two  thousand  dollars  to  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and 
Common  Prayer  Book  Society. 

Whereas,  This  Board  has  received  information  that  by  the 
will  of  the  late  Jacob  Schatzel  of  this  City,  the  sum  of  two 
thousand  dollars  was  bequeathed  to  the  New  York  Auxiliary 
Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  to  be  paid  after  the 
decease  of  his  widow,  and  whereas,  the  said  widow,  anxious 
that  the  pious  intentions  of  her  husband  should  be  fully  carried 
out,  and  fearing  that  impediments  may  hereafter  be  thrown  in 
the  way  of  the  payment  of  the  legacy  in  consequence  of  the 
above  mentioned  Society  having  been  merged  in  the  New  York 
Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  has  generously  offered 


I.    There  appears  to  be  no  uniformity  in  the  spelling  of  this  name — It  is 
Schatzel  or  Shatzel. 


468  Schatzel  Legacy.  [1840 

to  make  an  immediate  donation  of  an  equivalent  sum  to  this 
Society  on  certain  conditions; 

Therefore,  Resolved,  That  this  Board  will  accept  the  dona- 
tion, and  does  hereby  bind  itself  to  full  compliance  with  these 
conditions,  viz.,  that  the  said  sum  of  two  thousand  dollars  shall 
constitute  a  permanent  fund  of  the  Society  to  be  donominated 
"The  Schatzel  Fund,"  the  income  arising  from  it  alone  to  be 
employed  in  the  purchase  of  Bibles  and  Books  of  Common 
Prayer  for  gratuitous  distribution,  one-half  of  said  income 
being  yearly  appropriated  to  the  purchase  of  large  Bibles  and 
Prayer  Books  of  the  octavo  size  as  donations  for  aged  persons; 
and  further,  that  upon  these  books  so  to  be  distributed  there 
shall  always  be  stamped  in  legible  characters,  the  following  in- 
scription, "A  donation  from  the  Schatzel  Fund." 

Resolved,  That  the  Board  entertains  a  grateful  remembrance 
of  the  pious  liberality  of  the  late  Jacob  Schatzel,  and  renders 
devout  thanks  to  that  Holy  Spirit  by  which  he  was  prompted 
to  so  munificent  an  act. 

Resolved,  That  a  copy  of  these  resolutions,  duly  attested,  be 
sent  to  Mrs.  Schatzel,  and  at  the  same  time  that  the  thanks  of 
the  Board  be  presented  to  her  for  her  disinterested  liberality  in 
carrying  into  effect  her  late  husband's  pious  intentions. 

The  same  having  been  duly  considered,  were  unanimously 
adopted. 

A  resolution  was  also  passed  that  a  committee  of  five  be  ap- 
pointed to  wait  upon  Mrs.  Schatzel  to-morrow  morning  at  half- 
past  eight  o'clock  to  present  said  preamble  and  resolutions  and 
to  receive  from  her  said  donation.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Wainwright, 
Rev.  Mr.  Higby,  Messrs.  Butler,  Browning  and  Alstyne  were 
appointed  said  committee,  and  the  Vice  President,  Floyd  Smith, 
was  also  added  to  the  committee. 

Adjourned. 

Floyd  Smith,  Presiding  Vice  President. 

Attest :  John  Alstyne,  Secy,  pro  tem. 

(Folio  91.) 

In  his  annual  address  Bishop  Onderdonk  makes  this  refer- 
ence to  the  Schatzel  legacy : 

"It  is  proper  that  I  here  make  grateful  record  of  an  in- 
•stance  of  munificence  to  the  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book 


1840]  Schatzel  Legacy.  469 

Society  of  which  our  public  prints  have  given  you  information. 
The  late  pious  and  excellent  Mr.  Jacob  Schatzel  of  this  city,  in 
life  a  pattern  of  liberality,  bequeathed  a  legacy  to  that  Society 
of  $2,000,  as  a  permanent  fund,  to  be  paid  at  the  death  of  his 
widow.  Circumstances,  however,  justifying  a  fear  that  tech- 
nical difficulties  might  arise  to  the  payment  of  the  legacy  at  the 
time  assigned,  that  worthy  lady  has  presented  an  equal  amount 
to  the  Society  in  consideration  of  its  waving  all  claims  under  her 
will." 

In  the  same  address  he  makes  this  allusion  to  the  "Press," 
which  had  been  founded  with  such  exalted  hopes  for  perman- 
nence,  utility  and  profit  for  the  Church, 

"Few  enterprises  of  that  period  failed  to  feel  the  effects  of  the 
panic  of  1837,  ^^^  many  like  the  Press  were  unable  to  survive. 

"As  the  late  Protestant  Episcopal  Press  was  frequently  men- 
tioned in  Episcopal  addresses  it  is  proper  that  I  here  record  the 
dissolution  of  that  institution  under  circumstances  of  embarrass- 
ment, arising  out  of  defect  of  patronage.  Our  excellent  paper, 
however.  The  Churchman,  which  had  belonged  to  it,  was  saved 
by  individual  enterprise  and  liberality,  from  being  involved  in 
the  pecuniary  perplexities  of  the  Press,  and  iS  still  continuing  its 
career  of  high  and  extensive  usefulness,  with  I  am  happy  to 
say,  the  obviously  increasing  approbation  and  confidence  of  the 
community."* 

In  the  matter  of  the  Schatzel  fund,  on  August  18,  1840,  the 
following  resolution  was  offered  by  Mr.  Smith,  adopted  by  the 
Board,  and  by  it  directed  to  be  added  to  the  fourth  section  of 
Article  II.  of  the  By-Laws  entitled  "Of  the  Funds." 

Section  4.  That  the  Schatzel  Fund  shall  be  permanently  in- 
vested in  Bond  and  Mortgage  upon  the  direction  and  in  the  name 
of  a  Committee  consisting  of  the  senior  Lay  Vice  President,  the 
Treasurer  and  Agent,  the  income  of  which  shall  alone  be  em- 
ployed in  the  purchase  of  Bibles  and  Books  of  Common  Prayer 
for  gratuitous  distribution,  one-half  of  which  shall  be  of  large 


I.    Journal  Diocese  of  New  York,  1840.    p.  52. 


4T0  Schatzel  Legacy.  [1840 

octavo  size,  suitable  for  aged  persons,  and  shall  be  stamped  with 
this  inscription,  "A  donation  from  the  Schatzel  Fund." 

The  second  section  of  the  second  article  entitled  "Of  the  Funds" 
was  by  resolution  amended  as  follows,  viz.  Striking  out  the 
word  "two"  in  the  first  line  and  inserting  the  word  "three." 
Striking  out  the  word  "and"  and  inserting  the  words  "and  the 
Schatzel"  in  the  last  line  between  the  words  disposable  and  fund, 
so  that  the  article  as  amended  will  read  as  follows,  viz. : 

Section  2.  There  shall  be  three  funds  of  the  Society,  the 
Stereotype,  the  Disposable,  and  the  Schatzel  Fund. 

It  seems  strange  to  find  the  only  mention  made  in  the  Report 
of  1840  of  this  legacy  is  in  the  Treasurer's  account.  The  prob- 
able reason  being  that  the  Bishop  had  so  publicly  announced  it. 
Otherwise  the  Report  is  one  in  which  there  is  calm  confidence  in 
the  response  that  their  fellow  Churchmen  will  make  to  the  pre- 
sentation of  the  needs  and  opportunities  of  the  Society. 

Schatzel  Fund. 
Dr. 
1840,  Sept'r  2.    To  cash  invested  on  Bond  and  Mort- 
gage at  an  interest  of  7  per  cent.,  payable  semi- 
annually        $2,000  00 

Cr. 
1840,  August  13.  By  cash  received,  being  the  amount 
of  a  Legacy  left  by  the  late  Jacob  Schatzel,  to 
be  invested  on  Bond  and  Mortgage,  the  Interest 
of  which  one-half  to  purchase  the  8vo.  Bible  and 
Prayer  Book,  for  gratuitous  distribution  to  aged 
persons,  the  other  half  for  the  usual  distributions.   $2,000  00 

1840.     Anniversary  Celebration. 

The  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  held 
its  Anniversary  Celebration  in  conjunction  with  the  New  York 
Protestant  Episcopal  Tract  Society,  and  the  New  York  Educa- 
tion and  Missionary  Society,  in  St.  George's  Church,  in  the  City 
of  New  York,  on  Wednesday  evening,  September  30. 

The  Right  Rev.  Bishop  Onderdonk,  President,  in  the  Chair, 


Annual  Meeting.  471 


The  meeting  was  opened  by  prayer  and  singing  part  of  the 
93d  Psalm.^ 

The  Rev.  Lot  Jones,  of  the  Church  of  the  Epiphany,  read  the 
fourth  Annual  Report,  under  the  new  organization  of  the  Society, 
being  the  thirty-second  Consecutive  Report.  The  Rev,  Richard 
Cox,  Rector  of  St.  John's  Church,  Troy,  in  moving  the  following 
resolutions,  addressed  the  meeting  in  behalf  of  the  objects  of  the 
Society : 

Resolved,  That  the  distribution  of  the  Bible  and  Common 
Prayer  Book  is  a  work  in  which  every  Churchman  should  indi- 
vidually engage. 

Resolved,  That  the  report  just  read  be  referred  to  the  Board 
of  Managers  for  printing  and  distribution. 

A  collection  was  made  in  aid  of  the  funds  of  the  Society, 
amounting  to  $57.76. 

The  exercises  of  the  evening  were  concluded  by  singing  a  part 
of  the  25th  Hymn  (*1  love  thy  kingdom,  Lord")  and  Prayer 
and  the  Benediction  of  the  Bishop. 

The  venerable  Bishop  Chase  of  Illinois,  together  with  several 
of  the  clergy  of  the  Diocese  in  attendance  on  the  Convention 
were  present. 

Wm.  H.  Bell,  Secretary  of  the  Joint  Meeting. 

At  an  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Society  held  at  St.  John's  Chapel 
School  Room  on  Thursday  evening,  October  8th,  at  7  o'clock, 
Thomas  C.  Butler  in  the  Chair,  William  H.  Bell,  Secretary,  the 
meeting  proceeded  to  the  election,  by  ballot,  of  Officers  and  Man- 
agers for  the  ensuing  year,  which  together  with  the  President 
and  Life  Managers,  ex-officio,  form  the  Board  as  per  list  ap- 
pended. 

On  motion  duly  made  and  seconded,  it  was  resolved  that  a 
Committee  of  three  be  appointed  with  full  power  to  memorialize 
the  Legislature  for  an  act  of  Incorporation  of  the  Society.  The 
committee  appointed  by  the  Chair  were  John  W.  Mitchell,  Fred- 
erick De  Peyster,  and  William  H.  Bell. 

There  being  no  other  business,  the  meeting  adjourned. 

Wm.  H.  Bell,  Secretary. 

I.     Selection  93,  From  the  cxv.  Psalm  of  David, 
"Lord  not  to  us,  we  claim  no  share, 
But  to  thy  sacred  name 
Give  glory  for  thy  mercy's  sake, 
And  truth's  eternal  fame." 


472  Election  of  Officers.  [1840 


Officers. 

Right  Rev.  B.  T.  Onderdonk,  D.D.,  President,  ex-officio. 

Rev.  William  Berrian,  D.D.,  ist  Vice  President. 

Rev.  Lewis  P.  Bayard,  D.D.,  2d  Vice  President. 

Rev.  Benjamin  I.  Haight,  3d  Vice  President, 

Rev.  Jonathan  M.  Waimvright,  D.D.,  4th  Vice  President. 

Floyd  Smith,  5th  Vice  President. 

William  E.  Dunscomb,  6th  Vice  President. 

Charles  N.  S.  Rowland,  7th  Vice  President. 

William  H.  Hobart,  M.D.,  8th  Vice  President. 

Alexander  L.  McDonald,  Corresponding  Secretary. 

William  H.  Bell,  Recording  Secretary. 

Thomas  Browning,  Treasurer. 

Thomas  C.  Butler,  Agent. 

Managers: — Rev.  Samuel  Seabury,  D.D.,  Rev.  Hugh  Smith, 
D.D.,  Rev.  Lot  Jones,  Rev.  Joseph  H.  Price,  Rev.  Edward  Y. 
Higbee,  Rev.  Lewis  P.  W.  Balch,  Rev.  Anthony  Tenbroeck,  J,  D. 
Fitch,  M.D.,  G.  A.  Sabine,  M.D.,  Frederick  De  Peyster,  William 
Duncan,  William  M.  Benjamin,  John  Alstyne,  Theron  Wilber, 
C.  B.  Bostwick,  John  W.  Mitchell,  Theophilus  Peck,  Samuel  T. 
Skidmore,  Frederick  S.  Winston,  J.  B.  Herrick. 

Standing  Committees. 

Committee  of  Arrangement: — Thomas  Browning,  Thomas 
C.  Butler,  Rev.  J.  H.  Price,  C.  N.  S.  Rowland,  William  H.  Ho- 
bart, M.D. 

Committee  of  Distribution : — Thomas  C.  Butler,  Rev.  Lot 
Jones,  Frederick  De  Peyster. 

Committee  on  Stereotype  Plates : — Floyd  Smith,  Rev.  Edward 
Y.  Higbee,  Thomas  Browning,  and  Thomas  C.  Butler. 

Committee  on  Stereotype  Fund :  —  Floyd  Smith,  Thomas 
Browning,  and  Thomas  C.  Butler. 

At  the  meeting  of  October  13,  1840,  to  a  question  put  by  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Higbee  whether  the  Society  under  the  ist  Article  of  its 
constitution,  was  authorized  to  distribute  the  New  Testament 
separate  from  the  Old,  the  President  replied,  that  it  has  been 
practiced  by  the  old  Society  for  thirty  years  past;  was  the  prac- 
tice of  the  Church  societies  in  England,  and  was  sanctioned  by 


1840]  Thirty-Second  Report.  473 

the  Church  itself,  referring  the  reverend  gentleman  to  the  ordina- 
tion service.  Still  it  was  a  question  entitled  to  some  considera- 
tion. After  some  discussion,  in  which  several  members  of  the 
Board  participated,  it  was,  on  motion  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Balch, 

Resolved,  That  the  propriety  of  distributing  the  New  Testa- 
ment separate  from  the  Old  be  referred  to  the  Committee  of  Dis- 
tribution, with  the  addition  of  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Higbee  and  Price, 
to  report  thereon  at  the  next  meeting  of  this  Board. 

1840. 

Fourth  Annual  Report — Being  the  Thirty-Second 

Consecutive  Report. 

With  undiminished  interest  in  the  noble  work  for  which  the 
"New- York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society"  was  organ- 
ized, the  Board  of  Managers  present  this  their  Fourth  Annual 
Report,  being  the  thirty- second  from  the  Church  in  this  Diocese. 
They  would  devoutly  acknowledge  the  kind  hand  of  their  heav- 
enly Father  in  the  great  benefits  which  this  Society  has  been 
instrumental  in  conferring.  Their  hearts  have  been  animated 
with  the  sure  conviction,  that  in  no  way  can  the  distinguishing 
blessings  of  our  holy  religion  be  more  effectually  diffused  than  by 
furnishing  the  destitute  in  every  land  with  that  volume  which 
contains  the  revealed  will  of  Jehovah,  and  points  out  to  erring 
man  the  way  to  eternal  life.  This  sword  of  the  Spirit,  the  great 
weapon  in  the  spiritual  conflict,  they  would  fain  make  the  daily 
companion  of  all  their  fellow  creatures.  By  its  side  they  would 
ever  place  that  admirable  formulary  of  devotion,  the  Book  of 
Common  Prayer.  Supplied  with  these,  the  Christian  may  be 
instructed  in  every  part  of  his  duty,  and  with  the  assembled  con- 
gregation unite  his  heart  and  voice  in  the  humblest  confession  of 
sin,  and  the  most  exalted  terms  of  praise  and  adoration. 

To  this  subject,  however,  they  can  only  incidentally 
allude,  nor  will  more  be  necessary  after  the  lucid  and  satis- 
factory statements  contained  in  former  reports.  Their  im- 
immediate  object  is  to  recount  the  leading  particulars  con- 
nected with  the  operations  of  the  past  year,  and  to  derive 
from  the  review  incentives  to  more  vigorous  and  efficient 
exertions  in  the  future.  Would  that  they  could  say,  "The 
course  of  the  Society  has  been  decidedly  onward;  each  suc- 
cessive year  has  been  in  advance  of  the  preceding."     Much  as 


474  Thirty-Second  Report.  [1840 

they  desire  such  a  result  and  thankful  as  they  feel  for  the  great 
good  which  has  unquestionably  been  accomplished,  they  feaf 
there  is  too  much  reason  for  the  assertion  that  the  cause  to  which 
they  are  devoted  has  not  received  that  support  and  encourage- 
ment that  the  acknowledged  importance  demands.  Since  the  last 
anniversary  there  have  been  printed  6,000  Prayer-Books, 
SCO  Psalms  and  Hymns,  and  1,650  Bibles;  purchased  2,026 
Prayer  Books,  5  Bibles  and  380  Psalms  and  Hymns,  making  a 
total  of  10,555  volumes  added  to  the  Depository;  being  445  less 
than  the  previous  year. 

The  sales  and  gratuitous  distribution  during  the  same  period 
have  been  909  Bibles,  982  Testaments,  467  octavo,  quarto,  and 
folio  Prayer  Books,  7,919  i8mo,  and  301  Psalms  and  Hymns. 
Total,  10,578  volumes.  In  1839,  11,070  volumes.  They  have 
been  distributed  in  twenty  different  states,  the  several  territories, 
in  the  army  and  na.vj,  and  in  Texas. 

The  receipts  for  the  past  year  have  been  as  follows : 

Last  Year. 

Collections  in  City  Churches $630  66      $720  1 7 

Do  in  the  Diocese  out  of  the  City. 
Do  in  Western  New  York, 

Do  in  Distant  Churches 335  30         394  16 

Auxiliary  Society 15  00 

Donations   321  79         413  75 

Annual  Subscribers 414  00         452  50 

Life  Members 190  00         225  00 

Sales    1,594  42      1,697  73 


$2,909  51    $3,093  00 

Being  $400  less  than  the  previous  year. 

The  amount  of  stereotype  plates  has  been  increased  by  the  ad- 
dition of  plates  of  the  Bible,  and  i2mo  Prayer-Book.  The 
present  value  of  the  plates  owned  by  the  Society  is  estimated  at 
$5,310.  Great  economy  has  been  evinced  in  all  the  business  ar- 
rangements and  not  a  bill  against  the  Society  remains  unpaid; 
though  to  accomplish  that  desirable  object  the  officers  made  the 
necessary  advances. 

The  i8mo  Prayer-Books  are  nearly  out  of  print. 

To  meet  these  deficiencies  additional  funds  will  be  needed. 
Though  this  Society  is  an  institution  of  the  Diocese  of  New  York, 


1840]  Thirty-Second  Report.  475 

it  will  be  perceived  from  the  statements  now  made  that  its  benevo- 
lence is  not  limited  by  any  ecclesiastical  or  geographical 
boundaries. 

The  Board  of  Managers  will  cheerfully,  if  the  means  are  pro- 
vided, and  Providence  shall  open  the  way,  extend  its  benign  influ- 
ence to  every  section  of  the  world.  Wherever  the  banner  of  our 
country  may  wave,  we  would  that  it  should  be  the  herald  of 
treasures  more  valuable  than  earthly  products  or  the  achievements 
of  mere  human  ingenuity ;  especially  would  we  rejoice  in  supply- 
ing all  our  missionaries  with  copies  of  the  Word  of  God  and  the 
Book  of  Common  Prayer  for  all  the  destitute  within  the  sphere 
of  their  influence.  Let  the  claims  of  this  Society  be  fully  met, 
and  no  call  for  our  publications  shall  be  ever  unheeded. 

We  would  appeal  to  every  member  of  our  communion,  and  ask 
him  in  the  name  of  that  Master  whom  we  profess  to  serve, 
whether  he  has  contributed  to  the  efficiency  of  this  Society  accord- 
ing to  the  ability  with  which  he  is  endowed  and  the  means  of  use- 
fulness at  his  command.  What  more  delightful  employment 
than  to  aid  in  enlightening  and  blessing  mankind. 

However  great  may  be  the  claims  of  other  benevolent  institu- 
tions, can  the  Churchman  refuse  to  this  the  benefit  of  his  prayers 
and  pecuniary  support?  It  is  associated  with  all  that  he  most 
highly  values,  and  if  sustained  with  becoming  zeal  and  energy 
will  present  a  most  formidable  barrier  to  sin's  wide-spreading 
desolation. 

The  field  for  the  operations  is  immense.  The  signs  of  the 
times  clearly  indicate  that  the  field  is  already  white  for  the  har- 
vest. Within  the  limits  of  this  city  several  thousand  volumes 
might  profitably  be  distributed  every  year.  In  view  of  the  vast 
work  to  be  accomplished,  we  have  hardly  commenced  our  career. 
Our  points  of  observation  have  been  few  and  far  between,  yet 
we  have  seen  enough  to  convince  us  of  the  necessity  of  quicken- 
ing our  diligence  and  devoting  our  best  energies  to  the  advance- 
ment of  this  glorious  object.  It  has  the  sanction  and  prayers  of 
those  who  with  far-reaching  eye  and  elevated  faith  have  sur- 
veyed the  near  and  the  remote,  and  seen  and  felt  the  wants  of 
humanity.  It  addresses  us  as  men  and  as  Christians,  and  solicits 
our  compassionate  regard  in  behalf  of  those  who  are  our  brethren 
according  to  the  flesh,  and  for  whom  the  Saviour  died.  Let  it 
receive  the  free-will  offerings  and  hearty  co-operation  of  all  the 


476  Act  of  Incorporation.  [1841 

members  of  our  Church,  and  each  returning  year  will  furnish 
new  evidence  that  our  labour  of  love  has  not  been  in  vain. 

At  the  meeting  of  February  9,  1 841,  it  was 

Resolved,  That  this  Society  will  be  prepared  to  stereotype  and 
publish  an  edition  of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  in  the  German 
language,  whenever  the  committee  appointed  by  the  General  Con- 
vention of  the  Church  shall  furnish  it  with  an  authorized  copy  of 
the  same,  and  that  a  copy  of  this  resolution  be  sent  to  the  chair- 
man of  that  committee.     (Folio  104.) 

Early  in  March  of  the  same  year,  Bishop  Doane  sent  the  manu- 
script of  a  German  version  of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer.  This 
was  submitted  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Christian  F.  Cruse  of  the  General 
Theological  Seminary  and  the  Rev.  Dr.  Adolph  Frost  of  Shrews- 
bury for  their  comments  and  corrections  before  formally  adopt- 
ing and  printing. 

A  German  congregation  had  been  established  in  the  city  of 
New  York  in  1837,  but  had  not  received  the  support  of  their 
brethren  which  had  been  expected.  It  was  still  in  existence,  but 
waiting  patiently  the  issue  of  a  complete  Prayer  Book,  Several 
members  of  the  Society  were  their  staunch  friends. 

On  June  8,  1841,  the  action  upon  the  application  for  Incorpora- 
tion is  thus  stated : 

Mr.  Mitchell,  from  the  committee  appointed  at  the  last  anni- 
versary meeting  to  apply  to  the  legislature  for  an  act  of  incorpora- 
tion, reported  the  following  act,  to  wit : 

An  Act  to  Incorporate  the  New  York  Bible  and  Common 

Prayer  Society. 
Passed  April  21st,  1841. 

The  People  of  New  York  represented  in  Senate  and  Assembly 
do  enact  as  follows : 

I.  Benjamin  T.  Onderdonk,  William  Berrian,  Benjamin  I. 
Haight,  J.  M.  Wainwright,  Floyd  Smith,  William  E.  Dunscomb, 
C.  N.  S.  Rowland,  W.  H.  Hobart,  M.D.,  Alexander  L.  McDon- 
ald, William  H.  Bell,  Thomas  Browning,  Thomas  C.  Butler, 
Samuel  Seabury,  Hugh  Smith,  Lot  Jones,  Joseph  H.  Price,  Ed- 
ward Y.  Higbee,  Lewis  P.  W.  Balch,  Anthony  Ten  Broeck, 
J.  D.  Carder,  Charles  Jones,  J.  D.  Fitch,  G.  A.  Sabine,  Frederick 
De  Peyster,  William   M.  Benjamin,  Murray  Hoffman,  W.  T. 


1841]  Act  of  Incorporation.  477 

Pinckney,  John  Alstyne,  Theron  Wilbur,  C.  B.  Bosiwick,  John 
W.  Mitchell,  Theophilus  Peck,  Samuel  T.  Skidmore,  William  A. 
Duncan,  J.  B.  Herrick,  and  Benjamin  Loder,  and  such  others  as 
shall  be  associated  with  them,  shall  be  and  they  are  hereby  con- 
stituted a  body  corporate  by  the  name  of  "The  New  York  Bible 
and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society"  for  the  distribution  of  the 
Bible  and  Book  of  Common  Prayer. 

2.  The  management  of  the  affairs  and  concerns  of  the  said 
Society,  when  the  Society  is  not  in  session,  shall  be  conducted  by 
a  board  of  officers  and  managers  to  be  from  time  to  time  ap- 
pointed by  the  said  Society.  The  individuals  named  in  the  first 
section  of  this  act  shall  be  the  managers  of  the  corporation  and 
shall  continue  in  office  until  a  new  election  by  the  Society. 

3.  For  the  object  designated  in  this  act  generally  or  for  any 
purpose  connected  with  such  object,  the  said  corporation  shall 
have  power  from  time  to  time  to  purchase,  take  and  hold  real 
and  personal  estate,  and  to  sell,  lease  and  otherwise  dispose  of 
the  same,  provided  the  aggregate  clear  annual  value  of  such  estate 
shall  not  exceed  ten  thousand  dollars. 

4.  The  corporation  hereby  created  shall  possess  the  powers 
and  be  subject  to  the  restrictions  and  provisions  contained  in  the 
third  title  of  the  eighteenth  chapter  of  the  Revised  Statutes. 

5.  The  legislature  may  at  any  time  amend  or  repeal  this  act. 

6.  This  act  shall  take  effect  immediately. 

State  of  New  York, 
Secretary's  Office. 

I  have  compared  the  preceding  with  an  original  act  of  the  legis- 
lature of  this  State  on  file  in  this  office  and  do  certify  that  the 
same  is  a  correct  transcript  therefrom  and  of  the  whole  of  said 
original. 

Signed,  Archd.  Campbell,  Dep.  Secretary. 

Albany,  April  22,  1841. 

Which  said  report  and  act  were  accepted  and  the  whole  matter 
referred  back  to  the  same  committee  for  further  action,  and  to 
report  to  this  Board  at  its  next  meeting  such  measures  as  they 
may  deem  expedient  to  be  adopted  in  relation  thereto. 

Adjourned.  Wm.  H.  Bell,  Secy. 

(Folio  107.) 


478  Act  of  Incorporation.  [1841 


At  the  meeting  of  September  24,  1841,  the  committee  to 
whom  was  referred  the  act  of  Incorporation  recently  passed  by 
the  Legislature  of  the  State  of  New  York,  with  directions  to 
report  measures  in  relation  thereto  expedient  to  be  adopted  by 
the  Society.  Respectfully  recommend  that  the  same  individuals 
named  in  said  act  be  requested  by  special  notice  to  attend  a 
meeting  on  the  Thursday  in  the  last  week  in  October  next  (28th) 
at  the  Sunday  School  Room  of  St.  John's  Chapel  at  7  P.  M., 
to  take  into  consideration  the  provisions  of  said  act  in  order  to 
organize  and  proceed  to  business  under  the  same. 

The  committee  further  recommend  for  adoption  at  such  meet- 
ing the  following  resolution  and  ordinance : 

1.  Resolved,  That  this  Society  do  hereby  accept  the  act  of 
incorporation  and  franchises  thereby  granted. 

2.  Resolved,  That  the  following  Bye-Laws  be  the  Bye-Laws 
for  the  government  of  the  Board  of  Managers  and  for  the 
ordering  of  the  business  of  the  Society,  subject  to  such  alter- 
ations and  amendments  as  may  be  hereafter  made  by  the  So- 
ciety or  by  the  Board  of  Managers. 

Ordinance 

This  Society  shall  be  composed  of  the  Bishop  of  the  Diocese 
of  New  York  as  President  ex  officio;  of  all  clergymen  canoni- 
cally  connected  with  said  Diocese;  and  of  such  other  persons 
members  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  the  Diocese  of 
New  York  as  shall  within  twelve  months  next  preceding  any 
meeting  which  they  may  attend,  have  subscribed  and  paid  to  the 
funds;  together  with  the  life  members  and  patrons  of  the  New 
York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society  established  in 
1809,  the  Auxiliary  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer 
Book  Society  incorporated  in  181 7,  and  the  New  York  Bible 
and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  re-established  in  1837:  it 
being  understood  that  such  life  members  and  patrons  shall  be 
entitled  to  all  the  privileges,  in  respect  to  receiving  Bibles  and 
Common  Prayer  Books,  which  were  secured  to  them  by  the  said 
Societies  respectively.  Members  of  Bible  and  Common  Prayer 
Book  Societies,  auxiliary  to  this,  shall  also  be  members  of  this 
Society,  as  also  the  ofificers  and  managers,  directors  or  trustees 
of  any  Society  or  Association  within  this  Diocese  having 
among  its  objects  the  distribution  of  the  Bible  and  the  Book 


1841]  Act  of  Incorporation.  479 

of  Common  Prayer ;  Provided,  that  such  Auxiliary  Societies  and 
Associations  shall  have  contributed  to  the  funds  of  this  So- 
ciety within  twelve  months  next  preceding  any  meeting  thereof. 

n. 

When  the  Society  is  not  in  session,  its  business  shall  be  en- 
trusted to  a  Board  of  Managers,  consisting  of  the  Bishop  of  the 
Diocese  as  President  ex  officio,  and  of  four  clerical  and  four 
lay  Vice  Presidents,  a  Corresponding  Secretary,  a  Recording 
Secretary,  a  Treasurer  and  Agent,  and  twenty-four  clerical  and 
lay  managers,  making  in  all  thirty-seven. 

The  above  named  officers  of  the  Society  shall  sustain  the 
same  relation  to  the  Board  of  Managers.  In  order  to  form  a 
quorum  for  the  transaction  of  the  business  of  the  Board  there 
must  be  present  at  least  one  clergyman  and  one  layman. 

III. 

The  above  named  officers  and  managers  except  the  President, 
shall  be  elected  at  an  annual  meeting  of  the  Society  in  the  City 
of  New  York,  on  the  Thursday  of  the  week  next  preceding  the 
annual  convention  of  the  diocese,  by  a  plurality  of  votes,  taken 
by  ballot;  provided,  that  until  there  be  an  election  of  the  full 
complement  of  officers  and  managers,  those  last  elected  shall  be 
continued  in  office;  and  provided  further,  that  all  vacancies  oc- 
curing  in  the  Board  may  be  supplied  by  the  Board. 

In  all  cases  of  election  by  the  Society  or  Board,  the  person 
elected  shall  be  forthwith  notified  thereof  by  the  Secretary  of 
the  meeting  at  which  he  was  elected,  and  unless  his  acceptance 
is  signified  to  the  said  Secretary  or  the  Board  within  one  month 
after  his  election,  his  station  shall  be  considered  vacant,  and  a 
new  election  had  by  the  Board  to  supply  the  same.  The  anni- 
versary celebration  of  the  Society  shall  be  held  on  the  evening 
of  the  first  day  of  the  meeting  of  the  annual  convention  of  the 
diocese,  and  at  the  place  of  the  meeting  of  such  convention,  or 
at  such  other  time  and  place  as  the  Board  of  Managers  may 
appoint :  when  the  said  Board  shall  make  report  of  their  pro- 
ceedings for  the  past  year,  on  which  the  members  of  the  So- 
ciety then  present  shall  be  competent  to  take  any  action.  Special 
meetings  of  the  Society  may  at  any  time  be  called  by  the  Board 
of  Managers. 


480  Death  of  Rev.  L.  P.  Bayard.  [1840 

IV. 

The  Board  of  Managers  shall  have  the  power  of  passing  any 
bye-laws  and  resolutions  for  its  own  government  and  for  the 
due  ordering  of  the  business  of  the  Society;  provided  the  same 
be  not  inconsistent  with  these  ordinances,  with  any  acts  of  the 
Society,  or  with  the  laws  of  the  State.  They  shall  also  have 
power  in  the  name  of  the  Society  to  purchase  and  hold  such 
real  and  personal  estate  as  may  be  permitted  by  the  Charter, 
and  to  cause  to  be  made  and  use  a  common  seal  for  the  cor- 
poration. 

v. 

This  ordinance  may  be  altered  at  any  meeting  of  the  Society 
at  which  there  are  present  at  least  three  clerical  and  three  lay 
members;  provided,  that  the  proposed  alteration  has  the  appro- 
bation of  a  majority  of  the  clerical  and  a  majority  of  the  lay 
members  present;  and  also  of  the  Bishop  of  the  Diocese;  and 
provided  further,  that  if  the  Episcopate  of  the  Diocese  be 
vacant,  two-thirds  of  the  clerical  members  present  approve  of 
the  proposed  alteration.     (Folio  iii.) 

Owing  to  the  death  of  the  Rev.  Lewis  P.  Bayard,  Bishop 
Onderdonk  issued  a  letter  on  December  22,  1840,  calling  for  a 
joint  meeting  of  the  Standing  Committee  of  the  General  Theo- 
logical Seminary,  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  Geneial 
Protestant  Episcopal  Sunday  School  Union,  and  the  Trustees 
and  Managers  of  the  following  institutions,  etc. : 

The  Protestant  Episcopal  ScFciety  for  Promoting  Learning, 
the  Protestant  Episcopal  Public  School,  the  New  York  Bible 
and  Common  Prayer  Book  Society,  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Tract  Society,  the  Education  and  Missionary  Society  of  the 
Diocese  of  New  York,  and  the  New  York  Protestant  Episcopal 
City  Mission  Society. 

The  meeting  was  duly  held  on  the  evening  of  December  28th, 
when  suitable  resolutions  in  memory  of  this  distinguished  clergy- 
man were  passed.     (Folio  120.) 

Dr.  Bayard  was  the  Second  Vice  President  of  the  Society, 
and  Rector  of  St.  Clement's  Church,  New  York,  He  died  at 
sea  on  the  passage  from  Beyrout  to  Malta. 


v./ 


UC  SOUTHERN  ''^S2««|g|i|l|| «■ 

A     000  994  931     4 


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